NZ Metro TC 11 November 2025 – R10 – Ben Hope

Following the running of Race 10, Renwick Farms Dominion Trot (Group 1), Open Driver, Ben Hope, as the Driver of MUSCLE MOUNTAIN in the race, admitted a charge that he “drove carelessly near the 1900 metres, causing interference to several trailing runners by easing the pace in an abrupt manner”.

Rule 869 provides:

(3)  No driver in any race shall drive:- 

    (b) carelessly

EVIDENCE:

Chief Stipendiary Steward, Nigel McIntyre, had Steward, Matt Sole, show video replays of the incident with approximately 1800 metres to run. Mr Sole pointed out MUSCLE MOUNTAIN, driven by Mr Hope, racing in the parked position as the field raced down the back straight. He then showed ARCEE PHOENIX (Chris Svanosio), which had been racing on the back of MUSCLE MOUNTAIN, being pulled out 3-wide and progress past MUSCLE MOUNTAIN.

Mr McIntyre said that Mr Hope had taken a hold of his horse. Directly behind him was BET N WIN (Bob Butt) which got into difficulty as did MR LOVE (Ricky May) and MIDNIGHT DASH (Gemma Thornley) and, further back, OSCAR BONAVENA (Mark Purdon). The Driver of GUS (Pete McMullen) also had to take hold of his runner and, worst affected, was LOVE N THE PORT (Matthew Williamson), which broke and lost ground. All runners affected, with the exception of LOVE N THE PORT, were able to resume their positions in the field, Mr McIntyre said.

Mr Hope said that his runner had “done quite a bit of work” early to get parked, and he was trying to restrain it for cover but, unfortunately, he had restrained it a bit too much. He accepted that he had caused the “backwash”.

DECISION:

The charge having been admitted, was deemed proved.

SUBMISSIONS FOR PENALTY:

Mr McIntyre said that Mr Hope has a clean record under the Careless Driving Rule. He has had 193 drives in the current season. He referred to the starting point for a first breach in a Group  1 race, of a 5-days suspension.

He submitted that the fact that LOVE N THE PORT had lost its chance, required an uplift to the starting point, but he submitted that the Adjudicative Committee should consider that factor to be offset by Mr Hope’s good record.

Mr Hope sought a deferment to enable him to drive on Show Day, 14th November.

REASONS FOR PENALTY:

Mr Hope has eased his runner, while parked, resulting in several trailing runners suffering varying degrees of interference. Fortunately, none of those runners suffered terminal interference, except for LOVE N THE PORT. The Adjudicative Committee assessed the degree of carelessness as being mid-level.

The interference to LOVE N THE PORT, which galloped and lost its chance, is an aggravating factor, for which the Adjudicative Committee uplifts the starting point by 1 day, to 6 days. Mitigating factors are Mr Hope’s admission of the breach and his good race driving record; those factors warranting a reduction of 1 day in the adjusted starting point. The final result, therefore, is a 5-days suspension.

CONCLUSION:

The application for a deferment is granted.

The Respondent, Open Driver, Ben Hope, is suspended from after the close of racing on 14 November 2025, up to and including 28 November 2025, after which date he may drive – 5 days.