Otaki-Maori RC 26 December 2023 – R7 – Lemmy Douglas

Evidence:

Following the running of Race 7, the Respondent, Class B Rider Mr Lemmy Douglas admitted a charge of careless riding which was filed pursuant to Rule 638(1)(d).  The Information alleged that he allowed his mount RISCHIO to shift inwards when not fully clear of SHEAF and MASSO which were both crowded and checked passing the 200 metres.

The Respondent 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 Judicial Committee considers to be careless.

Using the available Race films Stipendiary Steward, Mr Neil Goodwin demonstrated the incident and identified the horses and Riders concerned.

He said prior to the incident there was some interference and crowding between several horses to the inside of Mr Douglas but this was unrelated to the current breach.  Ms Sutherland riding SHEAF was forced to check backwards as a result of Mr Douglas coming across when not clear. He shifted to a position directly in front of SHEAF taking its line of running and also causing inteference to Mr Singh on MASSO.

In response, Mr Douglas, assisted by Ms Clapperton, explained that his mount hung inwards as it tired but also acknowledged he could have done more to straighten it.

Decision:

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

Submission for Penalty:

Mr Goodwin produced Mr Douglas’ riding record which indicated 1  previous breach under the Careless Riding Rule in the last 12 months, namely  26 December 2022, this same date last year.

The Respondent has had 308 mounts in the past 12 months.

Mr Goodwin said Stewards assessed the level of carelessness to be in the mid- range.

Mr Douglas advised of riding engagements through until Friday 29 December and sought a deferment to any proposed suspension.

Reasons for Penalty:

Mr Douglas failed to maintain a sufficient distance from SHEAF when he moved inwards, however it was observed that racing room was already tight prior to his manoeuver, potentially exacerbating the incident.

After considering all submissions the Adjudicative Committee determined Mr Douglas’ carelessness to be in the low-mid range and adopted a 6 day suspension as the starting point in accordance with the NZTR Penalty Guide as of February 2023.

In recognition of the Respondent’s riding record, which was considered a mitigating factor, a 1-day reduction was applied to the 6-day starting point. This reduction took into account Mr. Douglas’ admission of the breach and his overall record.

Taking into account all relevant factors, a final suspension period of 5 days was imposed.

Conclusion:

The Respondent’s request for a deferment is granted and  his Licence to ride in races is suspended for a period of 5 days commencing after racing on Friday 29 December and concluding after racing on Wednesday 3 January 2024.