Methven TC 8 October 2023 – R10 – John Morrison
ID: RIB28275
Animal Name:
Best Trio
Code:
Harness
Race Date:
08/10/2023
Race Club:
Methven Trotting Club
Race Location:
Methven Racecourse - 47 Mount Hutt Station Road, Methven, 7782
Race Number:
R10
Hearing Date:
08/10/2023
Hearing Location:
Mt Harding Racecourse, Methven
Outcome: Proved
Penalty: Open Driver, John Morrison, fined $100
BACKGROUND:
Following the running of Race 10, Cyril Pengelly Memorial Mobile Pace, Open Driver, John Morrison, admitted a breach of Rule 869(7A)(a) in that, as the Driver of BEST TRIO in the race, he struck a track marker leaving the final bend.
Rule 869 provides as follows:
(7A) Every driver who moves inwards shall ensure:
(a) that contact is not made with any track marker.
EVIDENCE:
Chief Stipendiary Steward, Nigel McIntyre, began by reading the above Rule. He explained that the charge was contact being made with a track marker, and not one of the sulky protruding inside the marker line. He then showed a video replay of the incident on the final bend.
Mr McIntyre pointed out BEST TRIO, driven by the Respondent, the leading horse as the field rounded the turn into the home straight. He looked to his outside and, as he did so, his inside sulky wheel struck a track marker. The marker could clearly be seen “shuddering”, Mr McIntyre said.
The Respondent said it could be seen that he looked round to look for runners, with momentum, coming on his outside, not wishing to be outsprinted. After looking around, he had come back, already “on a bit of an angle”, he said. He struck that marker and missed the next one. It was very minor, he submitted.
DECISION:
The breach having been admitted, it is deemed proved.
SUBMISSIONS FOR PENALTY:
Mr McIntyre said that the Respondent had been warned on 5 October last at Addington for making contact with a track marker. Hence, he was being charged today, he said. The “standard fine” for a breach of the Rule is a fine of $100. It is about to come under the Minor Infringement Scheme, he said.
The Respondent said that he could not see any wrongdoing. He had just “clipped” a single marker and missed the next one, he said.
REASONS FOR PENALTY:
The breach is awaiting approval as a Minor Infringement. The fine is to be $100, and the Adjudicative Committee is satisfied that is the fine being imposed in the meantime pending the breach coming under that scheme.
CONCLUSION:
Open Driver, John Morrison, is fined $100.
Decision Date: 08/10/2023
Publish Date: 11/10/2023