Auckland TR 8 November 2025 – R4 – Triston Moodley

Evidence:

Following the running of Race 4, the Respondent, Apprentice Rider Mr Triston Moodley, admitted a charge of careless riding which was filed pursuant to Rule 638(1)(d).  The Information alleged that he permitted his mount TRUST ALONE to shift outwards when not sufficiently clear, making contact with INTOXICATED, which was unbalanced and forced outwards near the 100m.

Mr Moodley acknowledged he understood the Rule and confirmed his admission of the breach. Trainer Mr Chris McNab was present to assist.

Rule 638(1)(d) provides: A Rider shall not ride a horse in a manner which the Adjudicative Committee considers to be careless.

Mr Jones asked Stipendiary Steward Ms Kinsey to demonstrated the incident. She identified the horses and Riders concerned, with Mr Moodley riding at the back of the field approximately 3 off the rail. He proceeded to come out across heels, where he made contact with the mount of Mr Cameron. The 2 horses were side by side, when the contact occurred.

Mr Moodley acknowledged his mistake saying he had given Mr Cameron quite a bad bump, but it wasn’t intentional. Mr McNab gave his opinion that the incident was at the very low end of the scale and that Mr Moodley should not even have been charged.

Decision:

As the Respondent admitted the breach, the Adjudicative Committee finds the breach proved.

Submissions for Penalty:

Stipendiary Steward Mr Jones presented Mr Moodley’s riding record, which showed one previous breach under the Careless Riding Rule in the past 12 months (7 March 2025), resulting in a 6-day suspension. Mr Moodley has had 368 rides in the past 12 months.

Mr Jones stated that the Stewards assessed the level of carelessness as low to mid-range. Mr Moodley had overstepped the mark of competitive riding, which warranted the charge.

In response, Mr Moodley reiterated that he had not deliberately angled into Mr Cameron’s mount. He advised of riding engagements through until 15 November and sought a deferment of any proposed suspension.

Reasons for Penalty:

The Adjudicative Committee considered all submissions and determined that Mr Moodley was attempting to force a run that was not quite wide enough for him. In doing so, he made firm contact with INTOXICATED, causing that horse to become significantly unbalanced. It was fortunate that INTOXICATED managed to recover sufficiently to finish third, with TRUST ALONE finishing fourth.

The Adjudicative Committee found that Mr Moodley’s carelessness was above mid-range, warranting a starting point of 6 days in accordance with the NZTR Penalty Guide.

Mr Moodley’s previous record was treated as a mitigating factor, and a 1-day reduction was applied for his admission of the breach and his overall record.

After considering all factors, a 5-day suspension was determined to be appropriate.

Conclusion:

Mr Moodley’s request for a deferment is granted and his Licence to ride in races is suspended for a period of 5 days, commencing after racing on Saturday November 15th and concluding after racing on Sunday November 23rd, 2025.