Canterbury JC - 8 May 2010 - R 1
638(1)(d)
RACEDAY JUDICIAL COMMITTEE DECISION
Informant: Mr C. J. George - Chief Stipendiary Steward
Defendant: Miss K. Williams - Licensed Jockey
Information No: 262
Meeting: Canterbury Jockey Club
Date: 8 May 2010
Venue: Riccarton Park
Race: 1 – riccartonpark.co.nz Premier Gold Cup
Rule: 638(1)(d)
Judicial Committee: J. M. Phelan, Chairman – K. G. Hales, Committee Member
Plea: Admitted
Charge:
Following the running of Race 1, the riccartonpark.co.nz Premier Gold Cup, an information was filed by Chief Stipendiary Steward Mr C. J. George against Licensed Jockey Miss K. Williams under Rule 638(1)(d) alleging careless riding.
The information reads as follows.
“I the abovenamed informant allege that the abovenamed Defendant
committed a breach of Rule 638(1)(d) in that K. Williams the rider of William of Orange allowed her mount to shift inwards in the home straight when not clear of “Caley Marie” (K. Myers) hampering that runner.”
Rule 638(1)(d) reads as follows.
“(1) A rider shall not ride a horse in a manner which the Judicial Committee considers to be:
(d) Careless….”
Miss Williams had indicated on the Information that this breach of the Rules was admitted. She also agreed that she understood the charge and the Rule it was brought under.
Facts:
There had previously been a protest hearing, the result of which was that Miss Williams’ mount, “William of Orange” was relegated from second to fourth place. The parties agreed that the evidence from that hearing would form the basis for this hearing.
Decision:
As this breach was admitted it was deemed to be proved in accordance with Rule 915(1)(d).
Submissions on Penalty:
In relation to penalty Mr George said that in his view the interference was not at the highest end of the scale. A suspension would be appropriate in this case Mr George said, and he understood that Miss Williams was a “South Island only” rider. Mr George also said that Miss Williams’ last suspension was on 3 October 2009, which was a good record.
Miss Williams advised that she did not seek to have the commencement of the suspension delayed, but had no other relevant submissions to make.
We adjourned to consider the matter of penalty.
Reasons and Penalty:
On resuming this hearing we advised that a full written decision would be given later, and we gave the following decision on penalty.
“We have considered the question of an appropriate penalty, and we are satisfied that we should take into account the following matters. To Miss Williams’ credit her admission of the charge and secondly her relatively good record. But, on the other hand, her riding did result in a relegation in this, a $35,000-00 race.
We have decided that a suspension from after 9 May 2010 until after the completion of racing on 26 May 2010 will therefore be imposed. This suspension includes race meetings at Timaru on 14 May 2010, Wairio on 16 May 2010, Otago on 20 May 2010 and Gore on 26 May 2010.
Finally we take into account that Miss Williams rides only in the South Island, and our initial view was that the suspension should be five days, but we have reduced that for the reasons we have given to four days.”
J. M. Phelan K. G. Hales
CHAIR Committee Member
262
