Northern Southland TC 16 January 2025 – R2 – Georgia Goodman

EVIDENCE:

Following the running of Race 2, Stipendiary Steward Mr Shane Renault presented an Information alleging a breach of Rule 868(2) by Junior Driver Miss Georgia Goodman.

Miss Goodman stated she understood the Rule, the Charge and confirmed she did not admit the breach. Miss Goodman had her employer, Open Driver Mr Nathan Williamson assist her at the hearing.

Mr Renault played the video replay of the race to identify Miss Goodman (SWEET DJ), drawn 1 at the mobile barrier and passing the 600m, in last position in the running line. One place in front of her was EATMYDUST (P Hunter), who was following SWEET SUE (N Williamson). Mr Renault pointed to Miss Goodman near the 400m, shift her horse inside Mr Hunter, where he said there was never going to be a clear run. He showed Miss Goodman drive into the gap behind tiring runners;, where she was badly held up until the field entered the straight and pointed to SWEET DJ finish strongly down the inside of the track to finish 6th, 5.2 lengths from the winner.

Mr Renault said Miss Goodman misjudged the situation and has failed to drive her horse to a reasonable and permissible standard to give it a chance of finishing in the best possible position.

Mr Williamson said the pre-race conversation between himself, and Miss Goodman was to take all the short cuts with SWEET DJ. He said at the 500m, Mr Hunter has turned his horse’s head out and began to shift to a three wide position, where Miss Goodman had to make a split decision to go 4 wide around the bend or save ground.  He said the horse hangs in on the bends and is difficult to shift out. Mr Williamson had Mr Renault play a replay of SWEET DJ’s race at Gore in December, where he demonstrated he was in the running line and was unable to shift out at the optimal time.

Mr Williamson said Miss Goodman, by shifting inside Mr Hunter, has saved at least 5 lengths and it was debatable if the horse would have finished closer if it was able to head off around horses at the final bend.

Miss Goodman said she determined her best chance from her position, was to take the shortest route. She said she thought by progressing inside EATMYDUST to follow SWEET SUE would secure a run, but this did not come to fruition, because SWEET SUE surprisingly gave ground quickly.

Mr Renault in summing up, said Stewards believe at the time of SWEET DJ’s shift to the inside, Miss Goodman was aware the horses in front of her were tiring. Miss Goodman had been travelling strongly and because of her misjudgment, has been badly held up. He said the only option, given what was happening in front of her, was to shift out and around those tiring runners. He said by shifting in and being inevitably held up, she has failed to drive to a reasonable and permissible standard.

REASONS FOR DECISION:

The Rule states every Driver shall take all reasonable and permissible measures at all times during the race to ensure that his/her horse is given full opportunity to win the race or to obtain the best possible position and/or finishing place.

It is well established that the Stewards do not need to prove that there was a deliberate act by the Driver to disadvantage the horse, however, there must be some degree of carelessness or incompetence in order to find the Driver’s actions blameworthy. NRNZ v HIGGS (2005)

” There may be circumstances in which a driver’s manner of driving may amount to merely a permissible error of tactics but, when that error of tactics amounts to bad judgement, that results in disadvantage to the driver’s horse, then such manner of driving falls within the terms of the Rule”

Tactical errors are in and of themselves, not sufficient to find liability for a breach of this Rule. Mr Renault, in his evidence, said the option to shift out may not have been the preferred one, but he felt it was the only option, given the way the race was developing.

Miss Goodman is a very inexperienced Driver, having only 18 lifetime drives in her career to date. Miss Goodman made her decision in a mere instant, based on her expertise and experience, which she has little of both. She was without hindsight, multiple video replays or the pause button and made her decision to the best of her ability and in the opinion of the Adjudicative Committee, genuinely thought it was the best for her horse.

The Adjudicative Committee is of the opinion Miss Goodman may have been preprogrammed driving in this race and at the critical point of the race where she had to make a decision to shift out 4 wide around the final bend or inwards and find a run between tiring runners, she swayed to the latter, by prerace considerations between herself and Mr Williamson. This, of course, is not a legitimate defence to a charge of this Rule. However, the Adjudicative Committee views it was reasonable for Miss Goodman to shift to the inside and attempt to follow her stablemate, the second favourite for the race, expecting it to finish on somewhat and facilitate a clear run.

The Adjudicative Committee is not satisfied Miss Goodman has driven in breach of the Rule and accordingly, dismiss the Charge.

CONCLUSION:

The Charge is dismissed.