Timaru HRC – 7 January 2026 – R6 – Riley Harrison

Following the running of Race 6, Brown & Shipman 1969 Limited Mobile Pace, Junior Driver, Riley Harrison, admitted a charge that, as the Driver of MAJOR HAPPY in the race, she “shifted outwards near the 1650 metres forcing TIMES ARE A CHANGIN (Blair Orange) wider on the track”.

Ms Harrison was assisted at the hearing of the information by Open Driver, Tim Williams.

Rule 869 provides that:

(4)  No driver shall during any race do anything which interferes or is likely to interfere with his own horse and/or any other horse or its progress.

(6)  Subject to sub-rule (4) hereof:

(a)  drivers are permitted to move ground inwards or outwards at any stage of the race to   improve their racing position;

(b)  a horse making a forward movement during any race shall not be forced to race wider on the track;

(c)  a horse during a race shall not move ground outwards once the nose of the wider runner coming forward is in line with or past its sulky wheel and until the wider runner going forward is fully past.

EVIDENCE:

Stipendiary Steward, Mr Shane Renault, showed the available video replays of the incident, just prior to the 1600 metres. He pointed out MAJOR HAPPY, driven by Ms Harrison, racing in third-to-last position in the nine-horse field, being followed by TIMES ARE A CHANGIN, driven by Mr Orange. Mr Renault then showed Mr Orange shift his runner out three-wide to the wheel of Ms Harrison, just prior to the 1600 metres. He then showed that Ms Harrison elected to shift her runner out, forcing Mr Orange into a four-wide position.

Mr Renault showed on the replay that, following that move, Ms Harrison was able to improve to the parked position outside the leader, forcing Mr Orange to take up that position, giving Ms Harrison the position one-out and one-back.

DECISION:

The charge having been admitted, it is deemed proved.

PENALTY SUBMISSIONS:

Mr Renault said that Ms Harrison had 238 drives in the 2025 season just concluded. She has a previous breach of the rule on her record – at Addington on 10 October 2025, fined $200.

Mr Orange’s runner had been affected by being forced to race wide, before giving Ms Harrison a position to which she was not entitled, Mr Renault said. He pointed out that Ms Harrison had gone on to win the race. He submitted it was a mid-level breach.

The starting point for penalty in the Penalty Guide is a 3-days suspension and that would be an appropriate penalty, Mr Renault submitted.

Mr Williams said that Ms Harrison is a Junior Driver, with a lot of opportunities in front of her. He said that a $200 fine for a first breach to a 3-days suspension for a second breach is “a big jump”. The incident occurred at an early stage of the race, he submitted. Ms Harrison has admitted the breach and will learn from it, but a 3-days suspension is a heavy penalty for something that happened a long way from home, he said.

Ms Harrison requested that any term of suspension commence after the meeting of Ashburton TC on 13 January.

REASONS FOR PENALTY:

The RIB Harness Racing Penalty Guide provides a starting point for penalty for a second breach of the pushout rule of a 3-days suspension.

Mr Orange’s runner was affected by being forced to race 4-wide, and then 3-wide, for a considerable distance. The Committee noted that Ms Harrisons runner, MAJOR HAPPY went on to win the race, with TIMES ARE A CHANGIN, finishing 3^rd, beaten by two half-necks. Given these factors, the breach is at least mid-level, so a 3-days’ suspension is the appropriate penalty. Ms Harrison has admitted the breach, but the breach is so clear that she cannot be given credit for her admission.

CONCLUSION – PENALTY:

Ms Harrison’s application for a deferment is granted.

Junior Driver, Riley Harrison, is suspended from after the close of racing on 13 January up to and including 21 January 2026 – 3 days. The meetings intended to be encompassed by the period of suspension are Marlborough HRC on 16 and 18 January and Oamaru HRC on 21 January.