Rangiora HRC 1 May 2022 – R1 – MASTERLY and EL CONQUEROR

BACKGROUND:

Following the running of Race 1, Lone Star Sires 3YO Prelude Stakes Mobile Trot, the Applicant, Stipendiary Steward Paul Williams, filed two Informations pursuant to Rule 870(3) instigating protests alleging that:

Information A16143 – MASTERLY broke in excess of 50 metres inside the final 200 metres of the race; and

Information A16144 – EL CONQUEROR – broke in excess of 50 metres in the final 200 metres of the race.

The Respondent in both cases, Driver Bob Butt, Driver of MASTERLY and representing the connections of EL CONQUEROR, had signed the Information form indicating, firstly, that neither protest was contested and, secondly, that he did not wish to be present at the hearing of the Informations.

The Judge’s provisional placings were:

1st    1  Roydon Muscle

2nd  5  Norte Nortie

3rd   2. Masterly

4th   3  El Conqueror

5th   4  Brother Love

Rule 870(3) provides: Any horse which breaks from its gait shall promptly regain its proper gait.

The Breaking Horses Regulation provides:

(A) Any horse which breaks from its gait within the final 200 metres of any race and continues on in the break for a distance of 50 metres or greater, shall be deemed to be in breach of Rule 870(3) in that it has failed to promptly regain its proper gait.

(B) Where a protest has been duly lodged against the placing of an offending horse, the Adjudicative Committee shall either:

(i)  relegate such horse under Rule 870(4) behind any other horse in respect of which an advantage may have been gained; or

(ii) disqualify it from the race under Rule 1003(2).

SUBMISSIONS FOR DECISION:

Using available race video replays, Stipendiary Steward Paul Williams, identified MASTERLY  as the field passed the 200 metres. He said that, just inside the 150 metres the horse went off stride, free of interference, and galloped for the remainder of the race, finishing in 3rd place.

Mr Williams then identified EL CONQUEROR, driven by Blair Orange, go into a gallop, free of interference, prior to the 200 metres and, after passing the 200 metres, continue on in a gallop for a further 120 metres before regaining its proper gait, finishing in 4th place.

Mr Williams submitted that both horses were in breach of Rule 870(3) and the Breaking Horses Regulation and should be disqualified from the race.

REASONS FOR DECISION:

After hearing the submissions and viewing the video replays, it was clearly evident to the Adjudicative Committee that both MASTERLY and EL CONQUEROR had each broken, free of interference, and galloped for more than 50 metres inside the final 200 metres of the race.

Accordingly, both MASTERLY and EL CONQUEROR were in breach of Rule 870(3) and the Breaking Horses Regulation.

DECISION:

Both protests were upheld and both MASTERLY and EL CONQUEROR were disqualified.

The amended final placings are therefore:

1st    1  Roydon Muscle

2nd  5  Nortie Nortie

3rd   4  Brother Love

Authority was given for dividends and stake money to be paid in accordance with the amended placings.