South Canterbury RC 19 November 2025 – R2 – Jason Coutts

Evidence:

Following the running of Race 2, the Respondent Licensed Trainer Jason Coutts, represented by stable representative, Shane Forgie, admitted a charge of presenting the incorrect horse to race filed pursuant to Rule 404(2).  The Information alleged “that he presented DEVIL’S MAGIC to race instead of  DECIMAL POINT ”. 

The Respondent acknowledged he understood the Rule and confirmed his  admission of the breach.

Rule 404(2) provides:

(2) A person shall not enter, accept, start or intend to start a horse in a Race or Trial (including a jump-out or test for certification purposes) under a name other than its registered name. A horse does not have to be registered and named in accordance with these Rules to be entered for or start in a jump-out but a barrier certificate may only be issued for a horse that has been registered and named.

Stipendiary Steward, Veronica Fisher explained that DECIMAL POINT was entered to run in Race 2 on today’s card at the South Canterbury Racing Clubs meeting and DEVIL’S MAGIC,  was entered to run in Race 3 at the same meeting.

Mrs Fisher said that prior to Race 2, the Coutts’ stable runner was presented at the plate inspection area where the brands were checked by Stipendiary Steward David Wadley and found to be incorrect. It was discovered that the horse was not DECIMAL POINT, but her stablemate DEVILS MAGIC.

Mrs Fisher said DEVILS MAGIC was sent back to the stable area, and the correct horse, DECIMAL POINT, was saddled and presented to race. She added that the error did not cause a delay to the start time of the race.

Stable representative, Mr Forgie stated that he was in the swab box with the winner of the first race and was not able to assist with the saddling of DECIMAL POINT. He said the staff member who saddled the horse had mistaken the 2 horses which are half-sisters and very much alike, which led to the wrong horse being saddled and presented.

Decision:

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

Submissions for Penalty:

Mrs Fisher stated that Mr Coutt’s had a clear record in relation to this Rule.

She stated that there were 2 recent breaches with similar circumstances being McLeod – Riverton, April 2025 and Prendergast – August 2025, where the mistake was detected at the plating inspection area and the correct horses were able to be presented with no delay to the race. Both Respondents received $500 fines.

Reasons for Penalty:

The starting point for penalty for a breach of the Rule contained in the RIB Thoroughbred Racing Penalty Guide (February 2025) is an $800 fine. The Adjudicative Committee has taken guidance from the two previous cases mentioned by Mrs Fisher (Prendergast, August 2025 and McLeod, April 2025) in which, the Adjudicative Committee notes, the facts were very similar to the facts in this case. In each of those cases, a fine of $500 was imposed.

The Adjudicative Committee therefore determined that an appropriate penalty in this case was a fine of $500.

Conclusion:

Mr Coutts is fined the sum of $500.