NZ Metro TC 26 June 2022 – R5 – FINDERS KEEPERS

BACKGROUND:

Following the running of Race 5, Silvermoon Jewellers Ladies’ Night – 8 July Mobile Pace, Stipendiary Steward, Paul Williams, filed an Information pursuant to Rule 870(5) instigating a protest alleging that FINDERS KEEPERS (Matthew Williamson) broke short of the line being lapped onto the 5th placed horse, SPARK IT UP (Stephen Boyd).

The Information had been signed by Miss Kendra Gill, part-owner of FINDERS KEEPERS, indicating that the protest was not contested. She did not wish to be present at the hearing.

Rule 870(5) provides:

Any horse which is not in the correct gait when its nose reaches the finishing line and which is lapped on by  any other horse or horses in the correct gait shall be placed by the Adjudicative Committee behind such horse or horses provided that where such first-mentioned horse is not in its correct gait as a result of interference to such horse or its driver then such relegation shall be at the discretion of the Adjudicative Committee.

The Judge’s placings were:

1st     1  No Matter Wat

2nd   6  Millwood Melody

3rd    5  Watch Me

4th    4  Finders Keepers

5th    8  Spark It Up

The margins were 7 1/2 lengths, a neck, 2 1/4 lengths and a nose.

EVIDENCE:

Mr Williams showed video replays of the final stages of the race. He pointed out FINDERS KEEPERS, driven by Matthew Williamson, in 5th placing as the field entered the final straight. Just short of the finishing line, the horse went into a gallop and continued in that gallop to the finishing line, finishing in 4th position. FINDERS KEEPERS was lapped on by the 5th placed runner, SPARK IT UP (Stephen Boyd).

Mr Williams sought the relegation of FINDERS KEEPERS to 5th placing behind SPARK IT UP.

REASONS FOR DECISION:

The Adjudicative Committee was satisfied that FINDERS KEEPERS, placed 4th by the Judge, had gone into a gallop, free of interference, inside the final 50 metres of the race and had continued in a gallop to the finishing line, being lapped on by the 5th placed runner, SPARK IT UP. The Adjudicative Committee noted the official margin between 4th and 5th was a nose and that Miss Gill did not contest the protest.

Rule 870(5) requires the horse to be relegated behind SPARK IT UP.

DECISION:

The protest was upheld and FINDERS KEEPERS was relegated from 4th placing to 5th.

Consequent upon the relegation, the amended placings for the race are:

1st     1  No Matter Wat

2nd   6  Millwood Melody

3rd    5  Watch Me

4th    8  Spark It Up

5th    4  Finders Keepers

It was ordered that dividends and stakes be paid in accordance with that amended result.