Northern Southland TC 15 January 2026 – R5 – Brad Williamson

BACKGROUND

Following the running of Race 5, Open Driver Brad Williamson admitted a breach of Rule 869(3)(b). The particulars of the charge were that, when driving RIGHTAZZ, he drove carelessly passing/near the 700 metre mark when contacting the wheel of TASHS BAD GIRL (N Kyle), causing the tyre to puncture.

Rule 869 provides that:

(3)   No driver in any race shall drive:

(b)  carelessly

At the start of the hearing, Mr Williamson confirmed his admission of the breach and that he understood the Rule and nature of this charge.

EVIDENCE

Stewards used the available race videos to identify Mr Williamson in the one out-one back position with RIGHTAZZ in the back straight the last time. The Respondent was following Ms Kyle, who had TASHS BAD GIRL parked outside the leader. Mr Williamson was shown angling his horse out of the one-one to challenge 3-wide near the 700 metre mark.

Going through the footage frame-by-fame, Mr Sole isolated the moment when the near front foot of RIGHTAZZ  struck the right wheel of Ms Kyle’s sulky. In speaking with Ms Kyle after the race, Stewards confirmed that the tyre had punctured after being contacted in the back straight.

Mr Williamson accepted that he was responsible for Ms Kyle’s tyre deflating. He said his horse’s head was “still quite a wee way behind” Ms Kyle when he shifted out. RIGHTAZZ had a long striding front action and was full of energy when he eased out of the trailing position, Mr Williamson said. He submitted that Ms Kyle’s horse was “flat” at the time of the incident. “I’ve just brushed the wheel on the way past,” he said. In his view, the incident did not affect the outcome of the race.

DECISION

As Mr Williamson has admitted the breach, it is found to be proved.

PENALTY SUBMISSIONS

Mr Sole confirmed that Mr Williamson had a clear record under the Rule. The Racing Integrity Board’s Harness Racing Penalty Guide proposed a starting point of a $300 fine for a first careless driving breach that involved hitting a wheel, with the consequences of this action to be taken into account when setting the penalty. Mr Sole submitted that this was the appropriate starting point on this occasion. He confirmed that the $300 fine suggested in the Penalty Guide related to a mid-level breach. Stewards considered this breach to be mid-level because Ms Kyle’s tyre had deflated, Mr Sole said.

In response to a question from the Adjudicative Committee, Mr Sole said the fact that Mr Williamson had gone on to win the race was immaterial. “I don’t think him hitting (Ms Kyle’s) wheel has affected any of the other runners that could have beaten him in the race,” he said.

On the matter of penalty, Mr Williamson submitted that his breach involved a lower level of carelessness. He believed he had attempted to be cautious when shifting ground. He argued that his horse being full of running and Ms Kyle’s horse coming back on him slightly as he was shifting out, had contributed to the incident.

REASONS FOR PENALTY

The Adjudicative Committee finds the degree of carelessness in shifting ground to be between low and mid-level. The consequences are found to be mid-level due to Ms Kyle’s tyre deflating. That being said, TASHS BAD GIRL did not appear to be travelling strongly at the time of the incident and compounded to finish last, beaten 25.5 lengths. Altogether, the Adjudicative Committee assesses this first breach of the Rule to be mid-level and adopts the starting point of a $300 fine as suggested by the Penalty Guide when a wheel is hit in these circumstances. This amount is reduced by $50 to recognise the Respondent’s clear record and admission of the breach.

There are no aggravating or mitigating factors that have a bearing. The fact that Mr Williamson won the race is not an aggravating factor. His carelessness did not force a run that was otherwise unavailable to him or, in the opinion of the Adjudicative Committee, disadvantage any other runner to the extent that RIGHTAZZ could have been beaten.

CONCLUSION

Driver Brad Williamson is fined $250.