South Canterbury RC – 4 September 2008 –

hearingid: 6f4f8b09551130276942566e7c7ca609

informantnumber:

horsename:

hearing_racingtype: thoroughbred-racing

startdate: 04/09/2008

newcharge:

plea:

penaltyrequired:

decisiondate: no date provided

hearing_title: South Canterbury RC - 4 September 2008 -

charge:

facts:

appealdecision:

isappeal:

submissionsfordecision:

reasonsfordecision:

Decision:

Mr R J Bishop, an Apprentice Jockey, was charged after Race 5 at the race meeting at the Phar Lap Raceway on Thursday 4 September 2008 with a breach of Rule 866 (1) (c) in that it was alleged that being the rider of MADAM STRAVINSKY he failed to ride his mount fully out to the finish being beaten by a nose for fourth place.  Because Mr Bishop is an Apprentice he was supported in the hearing by Mr Peter Smellie, a Licensed Trainer.

Mr Bishop admitted the charge which is therefore deemed to be proved.

The fact situation is simple.  Mr Bishop’s horse was holding what appeared to be a comfortable fourth place approximately a length behind the eventual third place getter.  When two or three strides away from the line Mr Bishop relaxed his ride by sitting up in the saddle and by stopping his whip action.  A fast finishing horse, ANZALI, got up to beat MADAM STRAVINSKY by a nose.

Stipendiary Steward Mr S Ching took the view that MADAM STRAVINSKY had a reasonable chance of finishing in fourth place and the simple fact of the matter was that Mr Bishop did not maintain his urgency in riding his mount out to the finish.  In explanation, Mr Bishop stated that he made an error of judgement with regard to the proximity of the winning post, and relaxed two to three strides too early, as was alleged.

Mr Smellie submitted to the hearing that in his opinion MADAM STRAVINSKY was starting to “go up and down on the spot” and was never going to hold on to its place.

PENALTY DECISION

It is the duty of every jockey in a race to give his or her mount a reasonable chance of finishing in a dividend or stake bearing position.  Mr Bishop failed to do that by relaxing his ride some two to three lengths from the line.  As to whether or not MADAM STRAVINSKY would have held on to fourth placing is something that will never be known.  The fact remains that Mr Bishop did not give his mount a reasonable chance, and he has pleaded guilty to that.

Mr Ching told us that Mr Bishop has been charged once before under this Rule, in December 2007, when he could have finished in a dividend bearing position.  He received a seven day suspension for that charge.

In this instance, Mr Ching called for a suspension of between two and four weeks.  Mr Bishop submitted the matter could be dealt with by way of fine.

Mr Bishop is given credit for his early guilty plea and frank admissions in the hearing.  Fortunately, New Zealand punters were not affected by this matter.  However, the connections may have lost out in terms of stake money.

A suspension is the proper penalty in this case, and a clear message must be sent to all riders that they have a duty to punters and connections alike to give their horse every reasonable chance of finishing in a winning or stake bearing position.

We set the suspension to commence at the conclusion of racing today, until the conclusion of racing on Saturday 20 September 2008.  That is a period a little in excess of two weeks.  It encompasses three riding days in the South Island, on 14, 17 and 20 September 2008.  Mr Bishop confirmed to the hearing that he rides only in the South Island.

K G Hales

sumissionsforpenalty:

reasonsforpenalty:

penalty:

hearing_type: Old Hearing

Rules: 866.1.c

Informant:

JockeysandTrainer:

Otherperson:

PersonPresent:

Respondent:

StipendSteward:

raceid:

race_expapproval:

racecancelled:

race_noreport:

race_emailed1:

race_emailed2:

race_title:

submittochair:

race_expappcomment:

race_km:

race_otherexp:

race_chair:

race_pm1:

race_pm2:

meetid:

meet_expapproval:

meet_noreport:

waitingforpublication:

meet_emailed1:

meet_emailed2:

meetdate: no date provided

meet_title:

meet_expappcomment:

meet_km:

meet_otherexp:

tracklocation:

meet_racingtype:

meet_chair:

meet_pm1:

meet_pm2:

name: