Rangiora HRC 21 May 2023 – R10 – (Heard 25 May 2023 at Addington) – Dean Taylor

BACKGROUND:

Following the running of Race 10, CATR Sunday 17 December 2023 Book Now Mobile Pace, an Information was filed by Stipendiary Steward, Matt Sole, against Licensed Public Trainer, Dean Taylor, alleging that Mr Taylor as the Trainer of BEST TRIO in the race, had failed to notify that the gelding has had its knees treated since last racing.

The Information was filed with the Adjudicative Committee on the raceday and adjourned. The Information was served on the Respondent at the meeting of NZ Metropolitan TC at Addington Raceway on 25 May 2023 and was heard at that meeting. Mr Taylor had endorsed the Information “I do admit a breach of the rule”. He was represented at the hearing by his wife.

Rule 305 provides as follows:

Every person who holds a permit or licence under these Rules and every owner, driver, trainer or person in control of a horse shall –

(c)     report to the Stipendiary Steward as soon as practicable anything which might have any bearing in the past or the future running of the horse which came to their notice after leaving the course.

EVIDENCE:

Stipendiary Steward, Matt Sole, said that BEST TRIO, trained by the Respondent, had had its knees treated since last racing (at Timaru on 4 April 2023), and this was only discovered by Stewards following Race 10 at the Rangiora meeting, when the Trainer was questioned concerning the horse’s improved performance.

Mrs Taylor said that BEST TRIO was not lame. The horse’s Owners had requested that the treatment, injection to the knees, be given to the horse for its future wellbeing, not because it was lame or sore. She had researched the Notifiable Surgeries and Procedures Regulations and could not find the procedure listed there, she said. She suggested that the Rule is a “grey area”.

DECISION:

The charge is admitted and is therefore deemed proved.

SUBMISSIONS FOR PENALTY:

Mr Sole referred to an earlier decision of an Adjudicative Committee, in which a Trainer had failed to notify treatment to a horse’s knees. That Trainer was fined $200. There was no malicious intent in the present case, Mr Sole said. He submitted that a fine of $200 was an appropriate penalty.

REASONS FOR PENALTY:

The Adjudicative Committee accepts the explanation offered by Mrs Taylor on behalf of the Respondent. However, the requirement to notify anything that might have a bearing on the future running of a horse is clearly spelt out in Rule 305(c). Treatment to a horse’s knees clearly comes within the definition of something that might have a bearing on the future running of a horse, even if that is not spelt out in the Regulations.

The Adjudicative Committee is aware of three previous penalties for breaches of the Rule, in each case a fine of $200. That seems an appropriate penalty for this breach.

CONCLUSION:

The Respondent, Public Trainer Dean Taylor, is fined $200.