Wellington Racing Club - 17 July 2010 - R 3
610(4)
RACEDAY JUDICIAL COMMITTEE DECISION
Informant: N.Goodwin Stipendiary Steward
Defendant: M.Cropp
Information No: 7816
Meeting: Wellington Racing Club
Date: 17 July 2010
Venue: Trentham
Race: 3
Rule No: 610 (4)
Judicial Committee: N Moffatt, Chair – T Castles, Committee Member
Plea: Admitted
CHARGES:
Following the running of Race 3 an information was lodged alleging a breach of rule 610 (4) in that you: Matthew Cropp weighed out for Race 3 in a modified riding vest.
Rule 610 (4) reads: “A Rider may not wear or have in their possession a body protector or a skull cap that has been modified in any way.”
FACTS:
Mr George told the committee that prior to Race 3 he entered the jockeys’ room to undertake a routine inspection of all riders’ vests. Mr Cropp had difficulty in finding his until Mr George pointed out that he was wearing it. The vest was of a certified type but had been modified with all the top panels, both back and front, removed from it.
Mr Cropp explained that his proper vest had going missing so he borrowed this one from his Grandfather who was a Clerk of the Course. His Grandfather had removed the top panels because he got too hot in it. Mr Cropp said that as the panels had already been removed when he received the vest he did not initially realise that it had been modified. He had used this vest only once before and usually borrowed one from another rider.
SUBMISSIONS ON PENALTY:
Mr Goodwin said that due to safety reasons the Stewards viewed breaches such as these seriously. He said that Mathew Ward had recently been fined $500 for the same offence and that a similar penalty was sought in this instance. This was Mr Cropp’s first charge under this rule.
Mr Cropp said he was just back from a suspension and getting some nice rides. He assured the committee that he would be getting a new vest and hoped that his penalty today could be by way of a fine.
REASONS:
In coming to a decision on penalty the committee took into account Mr Cropp’s admission of the breach, his record and the recent penalty incurred by Mr Ward for the same breach.
Mr Cropp obviously knew that the vest would not pass inspection but was still prepared to wear it on race day despite the compromise on safety. There was no indication that he was trying to cover up weight issues but rather he hadn’t got around to replacing his own which had been lost.
PENALTY:
Accordingly Mr Cropp was fined the sum of $500.
N Moffatt T Castles
Chair Committee Member
7816
