Hororata TC 12 February 2023 – R6 – Alana Cameron

BACKGROUND:

Following the running of Race 6, Rakaia Seed Cleaning Mobile Pace, the Respondent, Junior Driver, Alana Cameron, as the Driver of PHILADELPHIA FILLY in the race, admitted a charge of using her whip in more than wrist flicking motion in the run home.

The Respondent was assisted at the hearing by Open Driver, Matt Purvis.

Rule 869 provides:

(2)  No driver shall during any race use a whip in a manner in contravention of the Use of the Whip Regulations made by the Board.

The Whip and Rein Regulations provide:

3.1  A driver may only apply the whip in a wrist only flicking motion whilst holding a rein in each hand with the tip of the whip pointed forward in an action which does not engage the shoulder.

EVIDENCE:

Stipendiary Steward, Paul Williams, showed video replays of the final 350 metres of the race. He pointed out PHILADELPHIA FILLY, driven by the Respondent, improving 3-wide as the field turned into the home straight. Shortly after activating gear early in the run home at about the 100 metres, the Respondent commenced to use her whip, and did so in more than a wrist only flicking motion, on 3-4 occasions prior to reverting to a compliant style for the remainder of the run home, Mr Williams said.

Mr Purvis said that it has been a problem for the Respondent, the first few strikes after the gear is activated.

DECISION:

The charge is admitted and is therefore deemed proved.

SUBMISSIONS FOR PENALTY:

Stipendiary Steward, Paul Williams, said that the Respondent had received a 2-days suspension for using her whip in more than a wrist only flicking motion at the Westport TC meeting on 28 December 2022.  That was 15 drives ago. On 30 December at Reefton she was suspended for 3 days for a similar breach. She has had 12 drives this season and 39 last season. Although the present breach is her third, Stewards saw the breach as being low-level, Mr Williams. He submitted that a 3-days suspension was appropriate.

REASONS FOR PENALTY:

The Adjudicative Committee found that this breach was low-level as defined in the Penalty Guide, that is to say – “when a driver inadvertently reverts to the old style (freehand, loose reining and/or more than a flicking motion) but promptly takes corrective steps to return to a compliant style of driving”.

For a second offence, low-level breach, the penalty starting point is a 3-days suspension. There will be no uplift for this being a third breach. There are no relevant aggravating or mitigating factors to consider. Although the Respondent won the race, the Adjudicative Committee does not consider any advantage was gained, having regard to the low-level whip use and the winning margin of 2¼ lengths.

CONCLUSION:

The Respondent, Junior Driver Alana Cameron, is suspended for 3 days, commencing on 19 February 2023 and ending after 25 February 2023.