Reefton TC 30 December 2024 – R1 – JUST RICKY

BACKGROUND:

Following the running of Race 1, Speights Trot, an Information requesting a ruling was filed by Stipendiary Steward, Shane Renault, as to whether Horse No. 5, JUST RICKY (Kendra Gill) was denied a fair start. Miss Gill was cited on the Information as the Respondent and was present at the hearing.

Rule 213 provides as follows:

(1)   A Stipendiary Steward at any time may scratch from a race . . . any horse on all or any of the following grounds:

(j)   if a horse was denied a fair start and such occurrence materially prejudiced the chances of that horse.

EVIDENCE:

Stipendiary Steward, Shane Renault, showed video replays of the start of the 2500 metres standing start race. He pointed out JUST RICKY, driven by Ms Gill, which had lined up and was standing correctly in barrier position 4 on the front row. Just prior to the barrier strand being released, the horse began to back away and Ms Gill could be seen to use her whip to ask the horse to go forward. As the barrier strand was released, the horse was going backwards, Mr Renault said.

He said it was the opinion of the Stewards, that the horse had had its chance. It had lined up in position, had backed away before the start and had stood on the mark. Stewards did not agree that it should be late scratched, as it had backed away as a result of its own manners.

Ms Gill has sought a ruling from the Adjudicative Committee, Mr Renault said.

Ms Gill said that the horse had come into line and started backing away. She had called to the Starter to wait, to give her the chance to come back up into line. The horse had started to come up, then went back again and the tape was released.

DECISION:

It was ruled that JUST RICKY was not denied a fair start.

REASONS FOR DECISION:

JUST RICKY has taken up its correct position 4 behind the barrier strand and was standing quietly, as were the other eight runners. Just as the barrier strand was released by the Starter, JUST RICKY has stood on the mark before backing away and refusing to go and losing its chance.

Ms Gill has failed to persuade the Adjudicative Committee that JUST RICKY was denied a fair start.

The equivalent Rule in the Thoroughbred Code includes the words “but not slow away of its own accord”. Such provision should be implied in the Harness Rule so that a horse cannot be held to have been denied a fair start if it has been “slow away of its own accord” – that is to say, it has been slow away without anyone or anything causing it to happen.

In this case, the Adjudicative Committee is comfortably satisfied that JUST RICKY has been slow away, as a result of its own unsatisfactory barrier manners. Having so found, the horse cannot be said to have been “denied a fair start” and the Adjudicative Committee rules accordingly.