Objections in horseracing are a hoary chestnut and have been for time and memorial. But just how objections are ruled on will always be subjective no matter the rules as inevitably it is a situation that will have grey areas. Over the years these rules have been revised and changed depending on the flavour of the day but in the final analysis no hard-and-fast rules can apply and as the current rules stand, it is up to the Objection Board to make a judgement call.
Needless to say, each incident will be viewed in a different light by different people but the final say lies with the Objection Board constituted to view the incident and make a ruling.
The issue raised its head again at Scottsville on Sunday where Keagan de Melo’s (Silent Obsession) protest against Warren Kennedy (Ideal Winter) was over ruled by the Objection Board although not all were happy with the decision to over-rule.
The official Stipendiary Stewards report read as follows:
- SILENT OBSESSION (K de Melo) was hanging in over the final 500 metres.
- IDEAL WINTER (W Kennedy) was hanging out in the final straight, shifted out near the 150 metre mark inconveniencing SILENT OBSESSION (K de Melo). Thereafter IDEAL WINTER (W Kennedy) shifted out near the 100 metre mark brushing SILENT OBSESSION (K de Melo). IDEAL WINTER (W Kennedy) and SILENT OBSESSION (K de Melo) brushed shortly before the finish.
- A race review was called by Mr D Howells, trainer of SILENT OBSESSION (K de Melo) which was followed by an Objection lodged by Jockey K de Melo, rider of the second placed horse SILENT OBSESSION against the winner IDEAL WINTER (W Kennedy) on the grounds of interference in the latter stages. The Objection Board after hearing all the evidence including the distance of an increasing half a length between these two horses at the finish was of the opinion that despite the incident complained of, SILENT OBSESSION (K de Melo) would not have beaten IDEAL WINTER (W Kennedy) and therefore over-ruled the Objection, refunded the deposit and allowed the Judge’s result to stand.
- Jockey W Kennedy signed an admission of guilt for a contravention of Rule 62.2.7 in that as the rider of IDEAL WINTER he failed to ensure that he did not cause interference to SILENT OBSESSION (K de Melo) in the closing stages. A warning was imposed.
The current rules concerning to interference reads as follows; the pertinent clause highlighted in bold:
68.2.6 bumping, boring, crossing, jostling or other interference, intimidation or any other action on the part of the HORSE or its RIDER during the running of the RACE;
69.3 When an OBJECTION is lodged in terms of RULE 68.2.6. the OBJECTION shall not be upheld unless the OBJECTION BOARD is satisfied that:-
69.3.1 a placed HORSE was interfered with by another placed HORSE and/or its RIDER during a RACE and the HORSE which was interfered with would, but for the interference, have finished ahead of the HORSE which caused the interference, in which event, the OBJECTION BOARD shall place the HORSE which caused the interference behind the HORSE which was interfered with or it may disqualify the HORSE which caused the interference;
69.3.2 any HORSE in the RACE was interfered with by any other HORSE and/or its RIDER and as a result of which the chances of the HORSE interfered with were jeopardised, the OBJECTION BOARD may, if it believes that the nature of the interference warrants such action, disqualify the HORSE which caused the interference.
69.4 For the purposes of RULE 69.3, a placed HORSE shall mean any of the HORSES placed in the first five to finish the RACE by the judge.
In other words, if the Objection Board feels that no matter the severity of the interference, they feel that the offender would have won no matter the interference, the result stands. They have to make a judgement call.
By Andrew Harrison
