Banks Peninsula TC 16 March 2025 – R4 – Riley Harrison

BACKGROUND:

Following the running of Race 4, Caltex Glenstar Group Mobile Pace, Junior Driver, Riley Harrison, admitted a charge that, as the Driver of ALMIGHTY CLEVER in the race, she “shifted outwards near the 1400 metres forcing WOODLEA DIAMOND (Kyle Cameron) wider on the track”.

Ms Harrison, a Junior Driver, told the hearing that she had received advice from Open Driver, Samantha Ottley, prior to pleading to the charge. She said she did not require assistance at the hearing.

Rule 869 provides:

(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:-

          (b) a horse 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:

Mr Sole had Stipendiary Steward, Shane Renault, point out the runners involved on video replays of the incident. He pointed out WOODLEA DIAMOND racing 3-wide and improving. ALMIGHTY CLEVER, driven by Ms Harrison, was racing in the 2-wide line. That runner was then shifted out into the 3-wide line, forcing WOODLEA DIAMOND to race 4-wide for a short distance, before easing to get on its back.

Ms Harrison said that she had just misjudged it.

DECISION:

The charge having been admitted, was deemed proved.

SUBMISSIONS FOR PENALTY:

Mr Sole said that Miss Harrison has had 59 drives in the current season to date, 167 last season, and has no breaches of the Rule on her record.

The Penalty Guide starting point for a breach of the Rule is a fine of $200, Mr Sole said. He submitted that this was an appropriate penalty for this breach.

Ms Harrison declined to make any penalty submission.

REASONS FOR PENALTY:

The RIB Harness Racing Penalty Guide (October 2024) suggests a fine of $200 for a first, mid-level breach of the Pushout Rule.

There are no aggravating or mitigating factors to consider and, accordingly, the Adjudicative Committee considers a fine of $200, as per the Penalty Guide, to be the appropriate penalty.

CONCLUSION:

The Respondent, Junior Driver, Riley Harrison, is fined $200.