Tuapeka HRC 25 October 2026 – R9 – Hayden Douglas

BACKGROUND

Mr Renault alleged that Junior Driver Hayden Douglas (SUPERFAST) drove carelessly in Race 9 racing into the first bend, allowing his runner to shift inwards and contact the legs of SHEZZA VINNY (Brad Williamson), which broke and lost ground.

Rule 869(3)(b) provides:

No driver in any race shall drive carelessly.

Mr Douglas confirmed to the Adjudicative Committee his understanding of the Rule and the nature of this charge, along with his admission of the breach.

As a Junior Driver, Mr Douglas was assisted at the hearing by Open Driver Matthew Williamson.

EVIDENCE

Mr Renault invited his colleague, Senior Stipendiary Steward Vinny Munro, to use the available race videos to demonstrate the alleged breach. The Respondent, driving SUPERFAST, was shown urging his horse forward to contest the lead from the start of the 1700 metre race, with SHEZZA VINNY (Brad Williamson) to his inside.

Racing into the first bend, Mr Douglas shifted down the track in an attempt to cross Brad Williamson. Near the 1450m mark, SUPERFAST made contact with the off-foreleg of SHEZZA VINNY, which broke and lost ground. Mr Douglas did not have enough clearance to move down and take the lead, Mr Munro said.

Mr Renault said SHEZZA VINNY galloped for some 100m as a result of the check, settling 4 places back on the marker line. Stewards submitted that without the interference, Brad Williamson would have secured either the lead or trail.

SHEZZA VINNY compounded on the final bend and was pulled up. Stewards believed this outcome had nothing to do with the early incident that caused her to break, Mr Renault said. A post-race veterinary check of the horse detected no abnormalities.

Mr Douglas said that while he accepted he had driven carelessly, he believed it was a low level breach due to SHEZZA VINNY running out. He pointed to SHEZZA VINNY having her head turned in as she raced into the first bend. He believed she had moved out slightly and contributed to the incident. Matthew Williamson supported this contention.

DECISION

As Mr Douglas has admitted the breach, it is found to be proved.

PENALTY SUBMISSIONS

Stewards produced the Respondent’s record, which showed that Mr Douglas was a busy Junior Driver, having had 319 drives this season.

A reset period of 6 months or 200 drives applied with regard to the Careless Driving Rule. Mr Douglas had a previous low-level breach of the Rule 157 drives prior to today’s meeting, at Timaru on 24 May 2026 (5 months ago). Today’s breach therefore counted as his second within the reset period.

Mr Renault read the defintions of careless driving attached to the Racing Integrity Board’s Harness Racing Penalty Guide. Pertinent to this case was the mid-level definition, he said, which addressed interference that impacted on the chances of the Driver’s own horse or those of another runner.

As a result of the check near the 1450m mark, Brad Williamson’s horse had gone from a likely lead or trail scenario to breaking for some 100 metres and settling 4-back on the marker line. Stewards submitted that Mr Douglas’ actions qualified as a mid-range breach. He was never clear of Mr Williamson and this could not be viewed as minor interference, Mr Renault said. The shaft of Mr Douglas’ sulky had struck SHEZZA VINNY, Mr Renault said. While her chances were not extinguished, they had been impacted.

The RIB Penalty Guide provided a starting point of a 5-day suspension for a second careless driving breach found to be mid-level. Taking into account Mr Douglas’ Junior Driver status and admission of the breach, Stewards submitted a 4-day suspension was appropriate.

On the matter of penalty, Matthew Williamson explained that a 4-day suspension would have a significant effect on the Respondent, who drives across the South Island. Mr Douglas was booked to drive a favoured runner in a feature race at Kaikoura on 2 November, and was also aiming to drive on New Zealand Cup Day on 10 November. There were only 3 South Island meetings between those two dates. A 4-day suspension would rule him out of participating at either the feature Kaikoura meeting or Cup Day.

This equation was unalterable, even should Mr Douglas request and be granted a deferment of anywhere up to 10 days on the starting date of a suspension. (The Adjudicative Committee noted that a full 10 day deferment would only take Mr Douglas up to 4 November 2026).

Mr Williamson and Mr Douglas asked the Adjudicative Committee to consider several alternatives for penalty that would effectively result in a maximum 3-day suspension. These were:

*Grading this as low-level careless driving, on the basis that Mr Douglas made a late attempt to straighten his horse and that SHEZZA VINNY contributed to the interference by running out slightly;

*Treating this breach as the first under the Rule, given that, under the reset provisions, the Respondent’s first careless driving breach at Timaru on 24 May last was one month, or some 40 drives, from dropping off his record;

*Applying a split (or hybrid) penalty, made up of a shorter period of suspension and a monetary fine.

After the Adjudicative Committee took time to consider all submissions, it gave the Respondent an indicative decision on penalty and called an adjournment. This was to give him the opportunity to have brief discussions about his upcoming driving commitments and consider whether he wanted to request a deferment to any period of suspension.

Upon resumption of the Hearing, Mr Douglas requested a deferment of any possible suspension to allow him to drive up to and including the second day of the Kaikoura meeting on 2 November 2026.

REASONS FOR PENALTY

The RIB Penalty Guide defines a mid-level breach of the Careless Driving Rule as one which causes interference impacting on the chances of a Driver’s own horse or another horse in the race.

Mr Douglas’ attempt to shift down the track near the 1450m mark results in a serious check to SHEZZA VINNY, causing her to break for some 100 metres before she settles 4 places back on the marker line. The horse shifts off the markers passing the 700m, then compounds on the final bend and is pulled up. A post-race veterinary check detected no abnormalities.

There is no conclusive evidence that enables a link to be drawn between the interference SHEZZA VINNY experiences early in the race and her being pulled up more than a lap later.

What is clear is that, free of interference, SHEZZA VINNY is poised to secure either the early lead or a trailing position behind the leader. Mr Douglas’ actions deprive her of this opportunity. Her chances in the race, while not extinguished by the early check, are impacted.

Any slight outwards movement by SHEZZA VINNY racing into the first bend is negligible and not held to be contributory to the interference she suffers. Mr Douglas clearly shifts down the track with designs on the lead. The Adjudicative Committee finds that any late attempt by him to work his outside rein and relieve the pressure on Brad Williamson is too little, too late.

As Stewards correctly highlighted, this was not a brush of SHEZZA VINNY’s front leg with the back of the Respondent’s wheel. Mr Renault submitted, unopposed and on the evidence of the race videos, that the shaft of Mr Douglas’ sulky contacted SHEZZA VINNY.

The Adjudicative Committee finds this to be mid-level careless driving, due to the ground lost by Brad Williamson as a result of the interference. There are no acceptable grounds for it to be graded as a low-level breach, as submitted by Mr Douglas and his advocate.

The submission by and on behalf of the Respondent that his first breach at Timaru on 24 May 2026 be considered close enough to the reset criteria of 6 months or 200 drives to be excused, and for today’s breach to be considered his first for the purposes of setting a penalty, is declined. Although the Timaru breach involved a low degree of carelessness, there is still one month or some 40 drives left before it can drop off Mr Douglas’ record.

The Adjudicative Committee did not entertain the suggestion of a hybrid penalty involving a shorter period of suspension and fine.

With full consideration of the circumstances and all submissions, the Adjudicative Committee adopts a starting point of a 5-day suspension, in line with the RIB Penalty Guide’s provision for a second careless driving breach found to be mid-level.

There are no aggravating factors. Mr Douglas’ admission of the breach and his Junior Driver status are mitigating factors, which together warrant a 1-day reduction in the period of suspension.

CONCLUSION

The Respondent’s request for a deferment is granted. Junior Driver Hayden Douglas is suspended for four days, from the conclusion of racing on 2 November 2026, up to and including racing on 10 November 2026. The South Island meetings included in the period of suspension are: Oamaru HRC (5 November), NZ Metropolitan TC (6 November), Ashburton TC or Winton HRC (8 November) and NZ Metropolitan TC (10 November).