Stewards Report

HARNESS RACING VICTORIA

STEWARDS REPORT FOR HAMILTON

FRIDAY 11 NOVEMBER 2022

	Adrian Crowther John Packer Des Benger Nathan Moy (Starter) Dr  Tony James(Vets)
	Track:    Good	Weather:	Overcast

 

Trainers with multiple horses engaged in any given race were questioned as to the intended driving tactics to be adopted. 

 

RACE 1 – HAMILTON LAUNDRY & DRY CLEANERS / APG PACE (2160 MS)

Eastbro Adele broke shortly after the start and was  placed out of  the mobile barrier draw.

Magic Matteo was held up rounding the home turn and  inconvenienced as the leader Riverina Flash commenced to give ground.

Remain Anonamiss was held up for clear racing room rounding the home turn and early in  the home straight.

Stewards queried driver Denbeigh Wade (Riverina Flash) to the performance of the gelding. Ms. Wade was at a loss to explain the performance,  explaining that  the gelding had travelled well whilst leading however failed to run on when placed under pressure racing off the back straight.  A post-race veterinary examination revealed no abnormalities.

Lavra Jenny Nz underwent a  post-race veterinary  examination and  was found to be lame in its near foreleg. Lavra Jenny Nz has been stood down from racing pending a veterinary  certificate of fitness to race.

RACE 2 – APG - THE INDUSTRY'S NOT FOR PROFIT SALES CO PACE (1660 MS)

Johnny Redcoat underwent pre-race and post-race veterinary  examinations pursuant to HRV horse welfare policy due to its number of lifetime starts. No abnormalities were detected.

Driver Jason Ainsworth (Flaming Lucky) was fined $200 pursuant to Rule156(2)(a) for his whip action which was with  more than a wrist only  flicking motion in the early stages in the home straight.

Nai Harn Bay ($1.75 favourite) fifth placing underwent a post-race veterinary examination which revealed no apparent abnormalities. Stewards queried trainer/driver Nathan Cahir as to the performance  of the gelding. Mr. Cahir explained that the gelding had travelled well however had failed to finish the race off when placed under pressure. A post race veterinary examination revealed no apparent abnormalities. Stewards will follow up with connections in the days following the race.

Hilldale Sunrise tired  to finish in last placing  beaten 54.8m. A warning was placed on  the performance.

RACE 3 – TAYLOR MOTORS HAMILTON / VHRC 3YO MAIDEN PACE (2160 MS)

The start of this race was delayed due to a  Port Lincoln gallops race  running behind schedule.

Trainer Matthew Horsnell (Vivid) was fined $50 Pursuant to Rule 210 for  a late driver change with  Codi Rauchenberger not listed in the race book as  the driver of Vivid.

Driver David Drury (Hanging fire) was cautioned for failing to have his drive  adequately in  position at the start.

Peppermint was fractious  in the score up.

La Keringle broke as the start was effected and was placed out of the mobile barrier draw.

Keyang Kingston  was held up and inconvenienced  as Goodtime Jessie commenced to give ground racing off the back straight. A  post-race veterinary examination of  Goodtime Jessie ($2.90 favourite beaten 48.1m)  revealed no apparent abnormalities. Stewards will follow up with connections in the days following the race.

Driver Glen Craven could not offer any explanation for the performance of the filly. Stewards will follow up with trainer Courtney Slater (in auditable)

Driver David Murphy (Always Skye High) was fined $100 pursuant to Rule156(3) for using the whip with more than  maximum permitted  number of strikes over  the final  200 metres.

Nearing the finish Always Skye High shifted out under pressure at the same stage as Peppermint hung in under pressure with Always Skye High being momentarily tightened just prior to the finish.

RACE 4 –HEYWOOD HORSE & COUNTRY / APG 2YO MAIDEN PACE (2160 MS)

Curyo Gentleman after initially showing gate speed then raced roughly towards the 1900m mark.

Aintsobad hung out for the entirety of the event and was  placed on its last chance to race truly.

Young Bluey shifted in under pressure into the sprint lane upon entering the home straight before immediately being corrected by driver  Matthew Craven.

You Beauty pulled hard whilst racing trailing the peg line position with driver Aaron Dunn reporting that the filly had choked down between the 400 and 300m mark with the  filly then being then retired from the event. A  post-race veterinary examination revealed no abnormalities.   You Beauty was  stood down from racing pending the  completion of a satisfactory trial.

Curyo Gentleman was held up for clear racing around the home turn.

Always Torque Tome was held up and was unable to obtain clear running.

Hez All Rock raced roughly rounding the final turn.

RACE 5 -ALEXANDRA HOUSE SPORTS CLUB / APG PACE (1660 MS)

Driver Steven Blacker (Kolovos NZ) reported that shortly after the start his sulky  momentarily touched  stays with Majestic Sue (David Murphy) and as  a consequence his offside  sulky wheel became buckled  and rubbed on the sulky stay placing him at a disadvantage for the remainder  of the event.

Stewards queried driver Lochie Cook (Catch The Shark). Mr. Cook explained that he had had to drive his horse out relatively hard to cross Kolovos and that  shortly after crossing to the lead he  then became aware that his offside sulky tyre had gone flat, free of contact from any other runner.  Mr. Cook added for that reason he elected to surrender the lead in the middle stages when Keayang Silvagni worked round to the front near the 900m mark and that as a result of pulling the flat tyre his drive then weakened over the concluding stages. Stewards noted Mr Cook’s explanation which was verified from the official race replays.

RACE 6 – VHRC / ALDEBARAN PARK BENEFITING OUR MEMBERS TROTTERS HANDICAP (2160 SS)

The start of this race was delayed by Port Lincoln gallops race 4 running behind schedule.

Gaelic Lad  began badly,  was placed out of  the standing start draw and trailed the field thereafter.

Elegant Jet broke racing  into  the first turn and as a consequence was Touchandgo and Blue Coman NZ were both momentarily inconvenienced. Elegant Jet trailed the field thereafter and a warning was placed on the mare’s racing performance.

Touchandgo tired to be   beaten 129.2m and  was  placed on its last chance to race truly.

Shezagem tired to be beaten 121.6m and was placed on its last chance to race truly.

In not taking further  action against these two runners  Stewards noted the fast sectional times recorded throughout  and the  class of the race.

Stewards  questioned driver Matthew Craven in relation to the tactics adopted on  and performance of Mangana Joe. Mr. Craven explained that he was  having his first drive on  the gelding and that he had been instructed by  trainer  Peter Manning  that the horse has a history of  galloping when  restrained.  Mr. Craven said that after getting to the lead, he allowed the gelding to stride along at an even tempo, and whilst cognisant of the speed was reluctant to restrain the horse bearing in mind the trainers advice to him.  Mr. Craven then explained that his horse came under pressure down the back straight on the final occasion and raced roughly on two occasions rounding the home turn due to  knuckling over behind  and as such he did not continue to drive the gelding out. A  post-race veterinary  examination revealed an  initially  high heart rate  which then recovered to  within normal limits. Stewards reviewed the recent racing history of Mangana Joe , and bearing in mind its racing manners and beaten margin the gelding was stood  down from racing pending the completion of a satisfactory trial.

Mr. Craven was also caution for allowing his foot to remain out of the sulky footrest when working forwards to lead around  the first turn.

RACE 7 – BECOME A VHRC MEMBER TODAY PACE (2160 MS)

Lola Motez  was inconvenienced behind the tiring Bayside Victory from the 800m.

Stewards questioned driver Glen Craven (Bayside Victory). Mr. Craven explained that after surrendering the lead the gelding tended ed to race roughly at various stages and then came under pressure from  the back straight to  be beaten 128.9m. A post-race veterinary  examination revealed no apparent abnormalities.  Given the beaten margin Bayside Victory has been stood down from racing pending the  completion of a satisfactory trial.

Driver Jason Ainsworth (Zwick) pleaded guilty to a charge pursuant to Rule156(2)(a) for using his whip in more than a wrist only flicking  motion and in  an action which engaged his  shoulder, in the early and middle stages of the home straight. In determining penalty Stewards considered that Mr. Ainsworth was  penalised $200 for  a first tier offence in an earlier race  and a fine of $400 was imposed.

RACE 8– MATTHEWS PETROLEUM / VHRC PACE (2160 MS)

The start of this race was delayed  due to Port Lincoln gallops Race 6 running behind schedule and  was in broadcast on Sky  2.

Hes A Cool Mach broke in the score up and was significantly out of position at the start and will continue out of the mobile barrier draw. The gelding then trailed the field for the remainder  of the event.

Springfield Affair gave ground from the 500m.

Stars Of Courage tired to be beaten 75.8m and given the beaten margin was  placed on its last  chance to race competitively.

Stewards questioned driver Lochie Cook (Keayang Kamikaze) regarding the  tactics  adopted during the final 500 metres. Mr. Cook explained that racing off the back straight he was one out and trailing  Ever Hoping and whilst Springfield Affair to his inside was then unable to hold its  position he believed  that it was in his drives best interests to continue trailing Ever Hoping as at that stage of the race that gelding was travelling well  whereas he felt the leader Terror The Christian NZ had been placed under pressure by its driver David Drury and may not take him to the sprint lane.  Mr. Cook further explained that  upon entering the home straight Terror The Christian NZ had shifted out slightly resulting in him  being  held for  up longer than anticipated however his horse had been  fully tested for the last 150m or so of the event but then failed to run on as expected.

Adrian Crowther

Chair

 

‘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’.

 

Raceday Summary

Swabs		Pre-Race: Race 1 – Riverina Flash; Race 2 – Princess Alexandra; Race 5 –Kolovos NZ; Race 6 – Claudy An Gus; Race 7 – Lola Montez;
		Post-Race: Race 1 –Our Bella Lucia; Race 3 – Keyang Kingston; Race 4 – Goodtime Miki; Race 6 –Blue Coman NZ; Race 7 – Tuxedo Bromac NZ.
Suspensions
Nil
Fines
Race 2	J Ainsworth		R156(2)(a)	$200
Race 3	D Murphy		R156(3)	$100
Race 3	M Horsnell		R210	$50
Race 7	J Ainsworth		R156(2)(a)	$400
Cautions
Race 3	D Drury		D/CSU
Race 6	M Craven		D/CDF
Horse Actions
Race 1	Lavra Jenny NZ		SDVETS
Race 1	Eastbro Adele		ODM
Race 3	La Keringle		ODM
Race 4	You Beauty		SD1T
Race 6	Gaelic Lad		ODS
Race 6	Mangana Joe		SD1T
Race 7	Bayside Victory		SD1T
Race 8	Hes A Cool Mach		CODM
Late Scratchings
Nil