Auckland TR 5 April 2025 – R5 – Tegan Newman

Evidence

This charge arises from the running of Race 5. Chief Stipendiary Steward Mr Oatham filed an Information pursuant to Rule 638(1)(d) alleging the Rider of ERIN GO BRAGH (T Newman), allowed her mount to shift outwards, crowding and checking ALTARI (G Rooke) near the 50 metres.

Following the running of the race, a protest was lodged against ERIN GO BRAGH (1st place) by the connections of PENMAN (2nd place).  The protest was upheld, and ERIN GO BRAGH was relegated.

Ms Newman acknowledged she understood the Rule and confirmed her admission of the breach.

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

Using the available race films, Stipendiary Steward Mr Davidson demonstrated the incident and identified the horses and Riders concerned; namely ERIN GO BRAGH, ALTARI, PENMAN (M Cartwright) and DRAMATIC MISS (T Mitchell).

Mr Davidson told the Adjudicative Committee that approaching the 50-metre mark in the home straight, ERIN GO BRAGH shifted out “quite abruptly” and bumped ALTARI, whose Rider had to take a strong hold.  In turn, ALTARI was forced on to PENMAN for a stride and it lost momentum.  DRAMATIC MISS, who was on the outside of PENMAN, was also inconvenienced for a stride.  ERIN GO BRAGH had commenced to lay out earlier in the run home and Ms NEWMAN did straighten her mount briefly.  She then struck it on its right side, and it shifted out again.  Mr Davidson said that after the first shift, Ms Newman should not have continued to ride forward with the whip.  At the time of the shift, ERIN GO BRAGH was never the required distance clear of ALTARI, or the other affected horses.

In response, Ms Newman had nothing further to add.

Decision

As Ms Newman admitted the breach, the Adjudicative Committee found the charge proved.

Submissions for Penalty

Mr Oatham produced Ms Newman’s riding record, which indicated one previous breach from 288 mounts during the last 12 months.  This occurred on 29 September 2024 and resulted in a 5 day suspension.  He described Ms Newman as having a very good record under the Rule.

Mr Oatham said that Stewards assessed the breach to be in the mid-range and submitted that any proposed suspension should be commensurate with a mid-range penalty. He added that an aggravating factor, was that ERIN GO BRAGH was relegated from its first placing following a protest hearing.

Ms Newman sought to defer any proposed suspension until after racing on 13 April 2025 and in terms of any proposed penalty, she offered no submissions.

Reasons for Penalty

After considering the submissions and the race films, the Adjudicative Committee determined Ms Newman’s carelessness to be mid-range and adopted a 7-day starting point.

The available films established that Ms Newman’s mount shifted outward twice.  After the first shift, she corrected and then continued to ride forward.  Her mount then ducked out abruptly, when struck with the whip.  Ms Newman had an obligation to ensure her mount maintained a straight line, particularly after the first outward shift, which effectively put her on notice that her mount may shift under pressure.

Ms Newman’s overall record is very good and, on that basis, a 1 day reduction for her combined good record and admission of the breach.

A 1 day uplift is applied, in recognition of the fact her mount was relegated following the protest hearing.

After taking into account all the above factors, the Adjudicative Committee considered a 7 day suspension to be an appropriate penalty.

Conclusion

The Adjudicative Committee granted Ms Newman a deferment to her suspension.  Accordingly, her Licence to ride in races is suspended for a period of 7 days, commencing after racing on 13 April 2025 and concluding after racing on 26 April 2025.