Stewards Report
Geelong 15/11/2024
HARNESS RACING VICTORIA
STEWARDS REPORT FOR GEELONG
FRIDAY 15 NOVEMBER 2024
Daniel Borg (Chairman) Track: Good |
Trainers with multiple horses engaged in any given race were questioned as to the intended driving tactics to be adopted.
RACE 1 – BACCHUS MARSH HRC COMMITTEE TROT CUP (1ST HEAT) (2100 MS)
SCAR – raced roughly score-up. Galloped back straight final occasion.
NO SURPRISES – galloped approx. 450m.
BULLAPARK BENO – galloped at approx. 225m and locked wheels with NOBLE COUNT NZ (Jackie Barker) shortly after.
NOBLE COUNT NZ – checked and locked wheels with BULLAPARK BENO (Austin Mifsud) at approx. 225m.
LEANNE LEEANN – tightened by PARIS JAMILLA (Allan McDonough) rounding the first turn.
PARIS JAMILLA – driver Allan McDonough cautioned for tightening and crowding the racing room of LEANNE LEEANN rounding the first turn.
YOGI SON NZ – galloped score-up, out of position when start effected; continued exclusion from future mobile start events.
Steward queried drivers Allan McDonough (PARIS JAMILLA), Austin Mifsud (BULLAPARK BENO) and Jackie Barker (NOBLE COUNT NZ) regarding the circumstances surrounding BULLAPARK BENO galloping at approx. 250m and locking wheels with NOBLE COUNT NZ. Subsequent to evidence from all three drivers, the observations of Stewards and review of several angles of the official race replays, Stewards could not be comfortably satisfied that PARIS JAMILLA when being driven forward in a three-wide position by driver Allan McDonough rounding the final turn had any tangible effect on BULLAPARK BENO galloping and therefore reported the racing incident as such.
RACE 2 – LATHER UP STANDING @ WOODLANDS STUD PACE (2ND HEAT) (2100 MS)
BEST BACK BRUCE – inconvenienced ASHANTE PRINCE heading into the first turn, when that runner galloped.
ASHANTE PRINCE – out of position when start effected; continued exclusion from future mobile barrier draws. Galloped hearing into the first turn and trailed the field thereafter; last chance to race tractably.
RACE 3 – HOYTS FOODS PACE (1609 MS)
WE BETTOR BELIEVE IT NZ - pre and post-race veterinary examinations in accordance with the HRV Animal Welfare policy having not raced in 12 or more months. No obvious abnormalities detected either examination.
THE CROUPIER NZ – held up and no clear run rounding home turn final occasion; utilized sprint lane thereafter.
RACE 4 – HAPPY 70TH BIRTHDAY JB PACE (1609 MS)
FEEL THE BUZZ - pre and post-race veterinary examinations in accordance with the HRV Animal Welfare policy having attained in excess of 200 race starts and 12 years of age. No obvious abnormalities detected either examination.
CHANSU – driver Sean O’Sullivan was queried regarding the overall performance of the gelding. Mr O’Sullivan explained that whilst CHANSU did sustain early work when progressing forward to the lead in a first quarter of 27.7 seconds, he was nonetheless disappointed in the overall effort of the gelding who gave ground to be beaten 33.3m into ninth and last placing. Post-race veterinary examination failed to reveal any obvious abnormalities.
RACE 5 – EVOLUTION LODGE TROT (1609 MS)
HANOVER DA MOON NZ – galloped at approx. 200m.
ESCAPE THE PACE NZ – galloped score-up, out of position when start was effected; exclusion from future mobile start events. Raced roughly and galloped approx. 400m.
DICHOTOMY – hung out for the majority of the event. Galloped at approx. 250m; warning issued owing to recent record. Driver James Herbertson was cautioned for the manner in which he applied the whip to the mare on one occasion when not in contention at approx. 250m as his drive was being restrained out of a gallop.
HEPHAESTUS PHOENIX – galloped under pressure over the concluding stages.
RACE 6 – OCIRA CONCRETE STRUCTURES TROT (1609 MS)
BROOKIES BABE – driver Michael Bellman cautioned for allowing the mare to contact the final marker peg prior to the entrance of the sprint lane on the final occasion.
WILLCANIA – checked and galloped by NUCLEAR ATTITUDE at approx. 250m.
KYVALLEY PAINT NZ – galloped heading into the first turn and trailed the field thereafter.
NUCLEAR ATTITUDE – driver Ginger Gleeson plead guilty to a charge under AHRR163(1)(a)(iii) which reads "a driver shall not cause or contribute to interference", with the particulars of the charge being that "at approx. the 225m, Mr Gleeson directed or allowed NUCLEAR ATTITUDE to shift outward when not clear of WILLCANIA (Clinton Welsh), thereby causing or contributing to interference with the latter becoming unbalanced and breaking gait as a result". In determining penalty, in accordance with the HRV Minimum Penalty Guidelines, Stewards considered Mr Gleeson’s guilty plea, the degree of interference, recent record under this rule, personal circumstances and issued a suspension of Mr Gleeson’s license to drive for a period of seven (7) days, with the suspension ordered to commence at midnight on November 20th, in order to allow Mr Gleeson to fulfil existing engagements. Mr Gleeson was advised of his appeal rights.
RACE 7 – APCO WE GOT YOU 2YO MAIDEN PACE (1609 MS)
HURRICANE HOOLY – fractious score-up; warning issued.
GUARANTEED TROUBLE – paced roughly heading into first turn.
THE POSTMASTER – held up and no clear run rounding home turn final occasion; utilized sprint lane thereafter.
SINBAD SASSY – hung out in home straight with one lap to run and raced greenly throughout. Whilst the gelding displayed similar tractability behaviours when on debut at Ballarat on 7 November 2024 they were, in the view of Stewards a marked improvement on that effort and therefore, no action was warranted in this instance.
RACE 8 – CORIO PIZZA MARES PACE (1609 MS)
SURFINGMAKESCENTS – hung out at various stages of the event when leading.
CREDULOUS – held up and no clear run rounding home turn final occasion; utilized sprint lane thereafter.
CLASSIC ANGELINA – driver Darren Pace cautioned for the manner in which his helmet made contact with VEE EM GEE MACRAY in the back straight on the final occasion.
Daniel Borg
Chairman
‘This report and the Stewards Comments for this meeting may be amended at the sole discretion of the Harness Racing Victoria (HRV) Stewards as races are reviewed as per the ‘HRV Stewards Internal Review Process.’
Swabs:
Pre-Race:
Race 2: Ashante Prince
Race 4: Megawatts
Race 8: Classic Angelina
Post-Race:
Race 3: We Bettor Believe It NZ
Race 5: Kyvalleyhunnyboney
| Suspensions: | |||
| Race 6: | G. Gleeson | 163(1)(a)(iii) | 7 days |
| Fines: | NIL | ||
| Cautions: | |||
| Race 1: | A. McDonough | D/CT | |
| Race 5: | J. Herbertson | D/COOC | |
| Race 6: | M. Bellman | D/CCMP | |
| Horse Actions: | |||
| Race 1: | Yogi Son NZ | CODM | |
| Race 2: | Ashante Prince | CODM | |
| Race 5: | Escape The Pace NZ | ODM | |
| Late Scratchings: | NIL | ||
| Follow Ups: | NIL | ||
| Adjourned Inquiries: | NIL | ||
| Sulky Fund Claims: | NIL |
