Taranaki RI 24 October 2025 – R5 – Clinton Isdale

Stipendiary Steward Ms L Selvakumaran, filed an Information alleging Licensed Trainer Mr C Isdale, faced a fourth offence of late declaration of Rider in Race 5 (EPSILON) on race morning.

Mr Isdale endorsed the Information that he admitted the breach, and was present at the hearing.

Rule 537(a) provides that:

The Trainer or Owner or lessee (as the case may be) or the Agent of the Trainer, Owner, or lessee (as the case may be) for a horse accepted or deemed to have been accepted for a Race shall:

• declare to NZTR the name of the Rider of that horse by the time and date specified by NZTR for declaration of Riders for that Race.

Evidence

Ms Selvakumaran explained that the pre‑race communication from the Racing Bureau, confirmed no Rider had been declared for EPSILON by the prescribed deadline, and that Mr Isdale had not informed the Stewards of any issue.

She advised that if a Trainer contacts the Stewards in advance to explain a delay, a charge may sometimes be avoided. As this was Mr Isdale’s fourth breach within the reset period, the matter was required to be heard by the Adjudicative Committee, rather than dealt with via a Minor Infringement Notice.

Mr Isdale acknowledged the lapse. He stated that he had contacted the Rider’s Agent, who replied late, and that heavy work commitments and earlier than normal starts, had contributed to the oversight. Riders for his other runners had all been declared within the correct timeframe. In response to questions from the Adjudicative Committee, Mr Isdale explained that there is an app that allows Trainers to enter declared Riders.

Decision:

The charge is admitted; therefore, it is deemed to be proved.

Submissions for Penalty:

Ms Selvakumaran said Mr Isdale received a $150 fine for a 3rd breach on October 22nd at Te Aroha. The Stewards’ submission was for a further fine.

Mr Isdale asked for leniency due to his busy schedule and the fact that it wasn’t his fault that the Rider’s Agent was so late in responding.

Reasons for Penalty:

Trainers are required to make Rider declarations within the prescribed timeframe to ensure that all participants and the betting public have accurate, up‑to‑date information before each meeting. Under the MIN scale, Mr Isdale received a $50 fine for his first breach on 8 August 2025 and a $100 fine for his second breach on 21 September 2025. Only two days ago, he appeared before an Adjudicative Committee for a 3rd breach and was fined $150.

While the Adjudicative Committee accepted that work pressures and communication delays provided some context, the oversight could have been easily avoided. The declaration process is straightforward and accessible through the official NZTR site, and the failure to complete it reflected a lack of diligence.

Given that previous fines had not acted as a deterrent, a moderate but meaningful uplift, was considered necessary. A further minor increment was considered unlikely to achieve the intended reminder of the importance of timely compliance with Rider declaration requirements.

Conclusion:

Mr Isdale was fined $300.