Marton JC 23 September 2023 – R2 – Niranjan Parmar

Evidence:

Following the running of Race 2, the Respondent Class B  Rider Mr N Parmar, admitted a charge of careless riding which was filed pursuant to Rule 638(1)(d).  The Information alleged that he allowed his mount SPENCER to shift outwards when not fully clear of MORUS, which was crowded and checked passing the 50 metres.

Mr Parmar acknowledged he understood the Rule and confirmed his admission of the breach. Apprentice Mentor Ms K Clapperton was present to assist.

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 Ms Algar demonstrated the incident and identified the horses and Riders concerned.

She said Mr Parmar was riding forward on SPENCER and shifted out under a hard ride. He corrected his mount once, but continued to shift outwards until he crowded the mount of Mr Kamaruddin, who had to check just prior to the finish. He did not correct his line of running on that occasion and his actions in not doing so, may have cost Mr Kamaruddin 2nd place.

In response, Mr Parmar admitted shifting out, but said he believed that the other 2 runners shifted inwards. Ms Clapperton explained that Mr Parmar is a very strong Rider and he should have moved the whip to his right hand to prevent his horse running out.

Decision:

As the Respondent admitted the breach, the Adjudicative Committee finds the breach proved.

Submission for Penalty:

Stipendiary Steward Mr Goodwin produced Mr Parmar’s riding record which indicated 4 previous breaches under the Careless Riding Rule in the last 12 months, namely:

30/9/22    Waikato – 7 days suspension

29/10/22  Matamata – 8 days suspension

17/12/22  Waikato – 10 days suspension

11/3/23    Wellington – 10 days suspension

Mr Parmar has had 284 mounts in the past 12 months.

Mr Goodwin said Stewards assessed the level of carelessness to be in the mid range. He said Mr Parmar should have been more aware of his outward movement and done more to prevent the interference to Mr Kamaruddin.

Mr Parmar advised of riding engagements through until Saturday September 30th and sought a deferment to any proposed suspension.

Reasons for Penalty:

Following a thorough review of all submissions, the Adjudicative Committee has determined that Mr Parmar’s level of carelessness during the race falls within the mid-range category. In accordance with the NZTR Penalty Guide, effective as of March 1, 2022, a 7-day suspension was set as the initial penalty benchmark.

The available films clearly established that Mr Parmar moved outwards and failed to correct his line of running, causing Mr Kamaruddin’s mount MORUS, to be checked for approximately 5 strides. MORUS was finishing the race off strongly, eventually finishing in 3rd place. It is reasonable to assume that, without the interference, MORUS had the potential to finish 2nd. In recognition of this, an additional 2 days was added to the suspension, resulting in a total uplift of 2 days.

Mr Parmar’s riding record is treated as a neutral factor. It should be noted that one day is about to expire from the 1-year cutoff point, and he has not incurred any careless riding charges in the past 6 months. Moreover, Mr Parmar openly admitted to the breach, displaying transparency and accountability. As a result, a 1-day discount was applied.

Conclusion:

The Respondent’s request for a deferment is granted and his Licence to ride in races is suspended for a period of 8 days, commencing after racing on Saturday September 30th and concluding after racing on Friday October 13th.