Archive Decision

This decision has been migrated from the JCA website. Information is accurate but formatting may differ from contemporary decisions. Please contact us for any further enquiries.

Wairarapa HRC 8 February 2011 – R 6

ID: JCA17524

Applicant:
Mr. N. McIntyre

Respondent(s):
S. McMullan

Other Person:
Mr. P. Ferguson - assisting Mr McMullan

Information Number:
69414

Hearing Type:
Hearing

Rules:
869 (4)

Plea:
denied

Meet Title:
Wairarapa HRC - 8 February 2011

Meet Chair:
TCastles

Meet Committee Member 1:
NMcCutcheon

Race Date:
2011/02/08

Race Number:
R 6

Decision:

The charge is dismissed.

Charge:

Alledging breach of 869 (4)

Facts:

S. McMullan did not admit a breach of rule 869 (4) in that as the driver of Little Miss Priss he drove in a manner likely to cause interference when he moved his horse out, locking wheels or stays with Rangatiki Rosie (P. Ferguson) with resultant checks to Arodaz (G. Gillies) and Seelstars Blue Chip (B. Mangos) with approximately 475 metres to run. Mr. McMullan being a junior driver was represented by senior horseman P. Ferguson.

Submissions for Decision:

Mr. McIntyre, using the available films, pointed out the alleged incident. He informed the committee that Mr. Ferguson was travelling 3 wide and Mr. McMullan was on his inside.

Mr. McMullan angled out and locked sulky wheels with Mr. Ferguson, causing both Mr. Gillies and Mr. Mangos to check. He believed that he was entitled to shift out, there was a gap, but he was not permitted under the rule to cause interference. The horses were racing in tight quarters. Mr. Fergusson, the driver of Rangatiki Rosie, representing Mr. McMullan, informed the committee that he agreed Mr. McMullan was entitled to take the gap which was presented. The track was slushy and at that point of the race he had mud on his goggles. He asked to view the available films again and pointed out to the committee that Janerima driven by M. Hickey who at that point of the race was leading, came off his line and took Mr. McMullan's line as he angled out into the gap.
The resulting locking of wheels and the interference that followed he believed was the result of that movement. He asked the committee to take into account also that the incident happened on the point of the bend and all horses involved were racing in tight quarters.
Mr. McIntyre did not agree that the slight movement attributed to Mr. Hickey’s drive contributed to the incident.

Reasons for Decision:

We have carefully considered the available films and the well presented evidence from both parties.

There is no doubt that even though the horses concerned were racing in tight quarters, Mr. McMullan was entitled to take the gap presented on the inside of Mr. Ferguson.
All of the available films confirm that interference occurred at an important part of the race after the locking of wheels. The cause of that interference is what we have to address.
We are satisfied that there was movement of his line by Mr. Hickey’s drive, albeit slight.
We have carefully considered to what degree the movement of Mr. Hickeys drive contributed to the incident. We are of the opinion that even though the movement was slight, it did play a part in taking Mr. McMullan's line at the time he angled his drive into the gap. The horses behind Mr. Hickey’s drive were all travelling well looking to angle out, and the resulting interference happened after the locking of the sulky wheels.
Rule 869 (4) states “drove in a manner likely to cause interference”. All parties agreed that Mr. McMullan was perfectly entitled to mount his run and angle into the gap. Doubt exists in the committee's minds on whether Mr. McMullans did drive in a manner likely to cause interference.

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: ed3eae6781d28334a141ba42c57da9ea


informantnumber: 69414


horsename:


hearing_racingtype:


startdate: no date provided


newcharge:


plea: denied


penaltyrequired: 0


decisiondate: 09/02/2011


hearing_title: Wairarapa HRC 8 February 2011 - R 6


charge:

Alledging breach of 869 (4)


facts:

S. McMullan did not admit a breach of rule 869 (4) in that as the driver of Little Miss Priss he drove in a manner likely to cause interference when he moved his horse out, locking wheels or stays with Rangatiki Rosie (P. Ferguson) with resultant checks to Arodaz (G. Gillies) and Seelstars Blue Chip (B. Mangos) with approximately 475 metres to run. Mr. McMullan being a junior driver was represented by senior horseman P. Ferguson.


appealdecision:


isappeal:


submissionsfordecision:

Mr. McIntyre, using the available films, pointed out the alleged incident. He informed the committee that Mr. Ferguson was travelling 3 wide and Mr. McMullan was on his inside.

Mr. McMullan angled out and locked sulky wheels with Mr. Ferguson, causing both Mr. Gillies and Mr. Mangos to check. He believed that he was entitled to shift out, there was a gap, but he was not permitted under the rule to cause interference. The horses were racing in tight quarters. Mr. Fergusson, the driver of Rangatiki Rosie, representing Mr. McMullan, informed the committee that he agreed Mr. McMullan was entitled to take the gap which was presented. The track was slushy and at that point of the race he had mud on his goggles. He asked to view the available films again and pointed out to the committee that Janerima driven by M. Hickey who at that point of the race was leading, came off his line and took Mr. McMullan's line as he angled out into the gap.
The resulting locking of wheels and the interference that followed he believed was the result of that movement. He asked the committee to take into account also that the incident happened on the point of the bend and all horses involved were racing in tight quarters.
Mr. McIntyre did not agree that the slight movement attributed to Mr. Hickey’s drive contributed to the incident.


reasonsfordecision:

We have carefully considered the available films and the well presented evidence from both parties.

There is no doubt that even though the horses concerned were racing in tight quarters, Mr. McMullan was entitled to take the gap presented on the inside of Mr. Ferguson.
All of the available films confirm that interference occurred at an important part of the race after the locking of wheels. The cause of that interference is what we have to address.
We are satisfied that there was movement of his line by Mr. Hickey’s drive, albeit slight.
We have carefully considered to what degree the movement of Mr. Hickeys drive contributed to the incident. We are of the opinion that even though the movement was slight, it did play a part in taking Mr. McMullan's line at the time he angled his drive into the gap. The horses behind Mr. Hickey’s drive were all travelling well looking to angle out, and the resulting interference happened after the locking of the sulky wheels.
Rule 869 (4) states “drove in a manner likely to cause interference”. All parties agreed that Mr. McMullan was perfectly entitled to mount his run and angle into the gap. Doubt exists in the committee's minds on whether Mr. McMullans did drive in a manner likely to cause interference.


Decision:

The charge is dismissed.

sumissionsforpenalty:


reasonsforpenalty:


penalty:


hearing_type: Hearing


Rules: 869 (4)


Informant: Mr. N. McIntyre


JockeysandTrainer: S. McMullan


Otherperson: Mr. P. Ferguson - assisting Mr McMullan


PersonPresent:


Respondent:


StipendSteward:


raceid: 75b5266e81cd9eeb659cfcbf1734b410


race_expapproval:


racecancelled: 0


race_noreport: 0


race_emailed1: 0


race_emailed2: 0


race_title: R 6


submittochair:


race_expappcomment:


race_km:


race_otherexp:


race_chair:


race_pm1:


race_pm2:


meetid: 4208b98ee4819b3c6919948e41e1566c


meet_expapproval: approved


meet_noreport: 0


waitingforpublication: 0


meet_emailed1: 0


meet_emailed2: 0


meetdate: 08/02/2011


meet_title: Wairarapa HRC - 8 February 2011


meet_expappcomment:


meet_km: [{"Comment": [], "MemberRole": "Chair ", "MemberID": "TCastles", "Member": "", "OtherExpenses": "0", "KMs": "206", "Total": "127.72", "kmprice": 127.72, "Approved": "on"}]


meet_otherexp:


tracklocation: wairarapa-hrc


meet_racingtype: harness-racing


meet_chair: TCastles


meet_pm1: NMcCutcheon


meet_pm2: none


name: Wairarapa HRC