Archive Decision

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Waikato BOP H 16 May 2019 – R 6 – Chair, Mr A Dooley

ID: JCA13265

Applicant:
Mr S Mulcay - Senior Stipendiary Steward

Respondent(s):
Mr D Butcher - Open Horseman

Information Number:
A9157

Hearing Type:
Hearing

New Charge:
Careless Driving

Rules:
869(3)(b)

Plea:
admitted

Meet Title:
Cambridge - Te Awamutu HRC - 16 May 2019

Meet Chair:
ADooley

Meet Committee Member 1:
BScott

Race Date:
2019/05/16

Race Number:
R6

Decision:

As Mr Butcher admitted the breach the Committee found the charge proved.

Penalty:

Accordingly, Mr D Butcher had his license to drive in races suspended for a period to commence after racing on 17 May 2019 and conclude after racing on 23 May 2019. This encompasses the 2 day meeting at Manawatu.

Facts:

Following the running of race 6, Carricks Financial Partners For Life Mobile Pace 2700m, an Information was filed pursuant to Rule 869 (3)(b). The Informant, Mr Mulcay, alleged that Mr D Butcher drove carelessly passing the 1000 metres causing interference to ERROL FINN (S Abernethy) which broke and was retired from the event.

Mr Butcher said that he understood the Rule and confirmed his admission of the breach.

Rule 869(3)(b) provides: No horseman in any race shall drive:- (b) carelessly.

Mr Mulcay demonstrated the incident using the available video footage. He identified that Mr Butcher was racing outside the leader ERROL FINN with 1100 metres to run. He observed that Mr Abernethy was having difficulty restraining ERROL FINN. He stated that Mr Butcher drove carelessly passing the 1000 metres when he shifted his horse down to the marker pegs. In doing so he caused interference to ERROL FINN and as a result that runner broke, lost all chance and was retired from the race.

Mr Butcher said that he had all but got past ERROL FINN but acknowledged that he clipped the front legs of that runner. He said he misjudged his inward manoeuvre.

Submissions for Penalty:

Mr Mulcay produced Mr Butcher’s record which showed his previous careless driving breach occurred on 2 June 2018. He advised that Mr Butcher has had 460 drives since that breach. Mr Mulcay said that JCA Penalty Guide starting point was a suspension of 10 drives or a $500 fine. He said the Stewards' policy was to recommend a suspension for this type of breach. He told the Committee that Mr Butcher would have a good book of drives at the upcoming Manawatu two day meeting. Mr Mulcay submitted a 2 day suspension would be an appropriate penalty.

Mr Butcher said that any proposed suspension could start after racing at Alexandra Park on 17 May. He said that he did not require a deferment.

Reasons for Penalty:

The Committee considered all the evidence and submissions presented.

The Committee adopted the JCA Penalty Guide starting point of a 10 drives suspension.

When viewing the video footage it was evident that Mr Butcher allowed his drive to shift down to the marker pegs when not sufficiently clear of ERROL FINN. As a result that runner suffered interference which caused it to break and lose all chance.

Mitigating factors were Mr Butcher’s admission of the breach and his excellent record for a busy driver. For these collective factors we applied a discount.

After taking into account all matters the Committee considered an appropriate suspension was 2 days.

JCA Decision Fields (raw)

Dmitry: This section contains all JCA fields migrated from the raw data.

Data from these fields should be mapped appropriately to display amongst the standard fields above; please make note of any values below that are missing in the above standard fields but should be there.

hearingid: 59e3e60a6c867d2d79fe107ff228722b


informantnumber: A9157


horsename:


hearing_racingtype:


startdate: no date provided


newcharge: Careless Driving


plea: admitted


penaltyrequired: 1


decisiondate: 17/05/2019


hearing_title: Waikato BOP H 16 May 2019 - R 6 - Chair, Mr A Dooley


charge:


facts:

Following the running of race 6, Carricks Financial Partners For Life Mobile Pace 2700m, an Information was filed pursuant to Rule 869 (3)(b). The Informant, Mr Mulcay, alleged that Mr D Butcher drove carelessly passing the 1000 metres causing interference to ERROL FINN (S Abernethy) which broke and was retired from the event.

Mr Butcher said that he understood the Rule and confirmed his admission of the breach.

Rule 869(3)(b) provides: No horseman in any race shall drive:- (b) carelessly.

Mr Mulcay demonstrated the incident using the available video footage. He identified that Mr Butcher was racing outside the leader ERROL FINN with 1100 metres to run. He observed that Mr Abernethy was having difficulty restraining ERROL FINN. He stated that Mr Butcher drove carelessly passing the 1000 metres when he shifted his horse down to the marker pegs. In doing so he caused interference to ERROL FINN and as a result that runner broke, lost all chance and was retired from the race.

Mr Butcher said that he had all but got past ERROL FINN but acknowledged that he clipped the front legs of that runner. He said he misjudged his inward manoeuvre.


appealdecision:


isappeal:


submissionsfordecision:


reasonsfordecision:


Decision:

As Mr Butcher admitted the breach the Committee found the charge proved.


sumissionsforpenalty:

Mr Mulcay produced Mr Butcher’s record which showed his previous careless driving breach occurred on 2 June 2018. He advised that Mr Butcher has had 460 drives since that breach. Mr Mulcay said that JCA Penalty Guide starting point was a suspension of 10 drives or a $500 fine. He said the Stewards' policy was to recommend a suspension for this type of breach. He told the Committee that Mr Butcher would have a good book of drives at the upcoming Manawatu two day meeting. Mr Mulcay submitted a 2 day suspension would be an appropriate penalty.

Mr Butcher said that any proposed suspension could start after racing at Alexandra Park on 17 May. He said that he did not require a deferment.


reasonsforpenalty:

The Committee considered all the evidence and submissions presented.

The Committee adopted the JCA Penalty Guide starting point of a 10 drives suspension.

When viewing the video footage it was evident that Mr Butcher allowed his drive to shift down to the marker pegs when not sufficiently clear of ERROL FINN. As a result that runner suffered interference which caused it to break and lose all chance.

Mitigating factors were Mr Butcher’s admission of the breach and his excellent record for a busy driver. For these collective factors we applied a discount.

After taking into account all matters the Committee considered an appropriate suspension was 2 days.


penalty:

Accordingly, Mr D Butcher had his license to drive in races suspended for a period to commence after racing on 17 May 2019 and conclude after racing on 23 May 2019. This encompasses the 2 day meeting at Manawatu.


hearing_type: Hearing


Rules: 869(3)(b)


Informant: Mr S Mulcay - Senior Stipendiary Steward


JockeysandTrainer: Mr D Butcher - Open Horseman


Otherperson:


PersonPresent:


Respondent:


StipendSteward:


raceid: d464d26731b4167cabb2c7b79f928b3d


race_expapproval:


racecancelled: 0


race_noreport: 0


race_emailed1: 0


race_emailed2: 0


race_title: R6


submittochair:


race_expappcomment:


race_km:


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race_chair:


race_pm1:


race_pm2:


meetid: eb7fbbca0bc1146a521479c0e5196f2a


meet_expapproval:


meet_noreport: 0


waitingforpublication: 0


meet_emailed1: 0


meet_emailed2: 0


meetdate: 16/05/2019


meet_title: Cambridge - Te Awamutu HRC - 16 May 2019


meet_expappcomment:


meet_km:


meet_otherexp:


tracklocation: cambridge-te-awamutu-hrc


meet_racingtype: harness-racing


meet_chair: ADooley


meet_pm1: BScott


meet_pm2: none


name: Cambridge - Te Awamutu HRC