Otago RC 17 October 2025 – R3 – DRACARYS

Mr Tyler alleged that DRACARYS placed 1st by the Judge, interfered with the chances of SNOW BRAINER placed 2nd; the interference occurring over the concluding stages of Race 3.

The official margin between 1st and 2nd was a nose.

Judge’s placings were:

1st   DRACARYS

2nd  SNOW BRAINER

3rd   AUTUMN BREEZE

4th   FAH RONG

Rule 642(1) provides:

“If a placed horse or its rider causes interference within the meaning of this rule 642 to another placed horse, and the Adjudicative Committee is of the opinion that the horse so interfered with would have finished ahead of the first mentioned horse had such interference not occurred, they may place the first mentioned horse immediately after the horse interfered with.”

Mr Davidson identified the horses concerned on the head-on and side-on videos.

Submissions for Decision

Mr Tyler stated that DRACARYS shifted wider on the track near the 50 metres checking and coming into contact with CLANCY, which then shifted ground and came into contact with SNOW BRAINER. He said DRACARYS had shifted out sharply. The contact between CLANCY and SNOW BRAINER had unbalanced SNOW BRAINER and put the horse off stride. SNOW BRAINER had also been forced wider on the track. He said when regard was had to the nose margin, the interference had cost SNOW BRAINER first placing.

Mr Cooper, the Rider of SNOW BRAINER, said he had received a slight tap on the back from CLANCY and he had had been pushed wider on the track and had had to straighten SNOW BRAINER.

Mr Laking said Mr Cooper had had to straighten his mount and the horse had changed stride.

Mr Woodsford said DRACARYS had been rolling out. He believed it had come out one and half horse widths, but there had been no contact between DRACARYS and SNOW BRAINER. He believed DRACARYS still had more to give and was waiting for the other horse.

Mr Kwo said he did move wider on the track. He believed Ms Comignaghi (CLANCY) had been pushing out before he moved. He was always in front of SNOW BRAINER.

Mr Davidson was asked to comment on the evidence. He said the major movement was from Mr Kwo. Mr Cooper’s mount had angled in, but this was prior to the incident at the 50 metres. SNOW BRAINER had finished off the race solidly.

Reasons for Decision

In accordance with the requirements of the Protest Rule, the Adjudicative Committee must first establish that interference occurred. Secondly, if interference is established, it must be of the opinion that the horse interfered with would have beaten the other runner, had such interference not occurred. Thirdly, the decision to relegate is discretionary, in that the Rule provides that the Adjudicative Committee may place the first mentioned horse immediately after the horse interfered with.

After hearing submissions and reviewing the video footage, the Adjudicative Committee established that the degree of contact between CLANCY and DRACARYS was severe and was such that CLANCY was shifted sideways and came into contact with SNOW BRAINER, which was unbalanced and also shifted wider on the track. SNOW BRAINER lost its line of running. After the contact, which was around the 50 metre mark, SNOW BRAINER rebalanced and ran on stoutly over the concluding stages, to finish only a nose behind DRACARYS. There had been some inwards movement from SNOW BRAINER, but this was sometime before the contact with CLANCY.

The interference suffered by SNOW BRAINER was the consequence of the outwards movement from DRACARYS at the 50 metres. This was quite abrupt, and DRACARYS shifted some one and half to two horse widths before coming into contact with CLANCY.

The Adjudicative Committee is satisfied that DRACARYS did interfere with the chances of SNOW BRAINER. Considering the degree and nature of the interference, the way both horses finished off the race, and the nose margin at the finish, the Adjudicative Committee is of the opinion that SNOW BRAINER would have finished ahead of DRACARYS. On that basis, in the exercise of the Adjudicative Committee’s discretion, the protest is upheld.

Decision

Amended placings are:

1st   SNOW BRAINER

2nd  DRACARYS

3rd   AUTUMN BREEZE

4th   FAH RONG

Stakes and dividends are to be paid accordingly.