VIC - Industry Notice - Change of Tactics Reminder and Clarification

21 November 2017
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CHANGE OF DRIVING TACTICS – NOTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

Harness Racing Victoria (HRV) Stewards take this opportunity to again remind industry participants regarding their obligations in relation to the Australian Harness Racing Rules (AHRR) and the HRV Change of Driving Tactics Policy.

In accordance with the provisions of AHRR 44, unless connections of a horse notify Stewards by lodging a change of driving tactics prior to a race, if a horse has an established recent racing pattern of being driven forward during the early stages of a race and settling in a forward position in the field, the Stewards expectation would be that such horse would again be driven forward to obtain a similar position in the field. Conversely, if a horse has an established recent racing pattern of being restrained at the start and is then driven back in the field during the early stages of a race, the expectation would be that such horse would again be driven in a similar manner.

Furthermore, where a change of tactics (COT) for a horse is lodged with HRV Stewards, which is a change to the horses usual or most recent racing pattern, further notification is required at subsequent race starts if it is the intention of the trainer, driver of connections to alter or change the tactics from those most recently notified to Stewards.  For example, if a horse is usually driven forward from a front row barrier draw and the COT notified is to drive such horse further back at the start, a further notification would be required at future race starts, if the intention was to again drive the horse forward at the start.

The intended notification of driving tactics provided by connections, approved by Stewards and then publicly declared, are confined to either one of the following options:

  1. Further forward at the start;

  2. Further back at the start;

  3. More aggressively after the start;

  4. Less aggressively after the start.

The trainer and/or driver of a horse intending to adopt driving tactics contrary to the usual racing pattern of a horse shall notify Stewards of this intended change of tactics one (1) hour prior to the advertised start time of Race 1 for that particular race meeting. Penalties will apply to those participants that notify a change of driving tactics after the applicable timeframe.

This notification must be performed by phoning the dedicated change of tactics phone line on 03 9214 0650. The trainer and or driver are required to provide the following information:

- Name of trainer / driver and licence number

- Name of racemeeting

- Name of horse and race number

- Intended change in driving tactics

Once the HRV Stewards have compiled the change of tactics information for a meeting, they will then be notified to the public and industry participants via the following avenues:

- Placed on the harness.org.au website under the ‘Stewards Wrap’ heading;

- Via the HRV Stewards Twitter account: @HRVinformer;

- Announced by the on-course racecaller; 

- On the stewards notice board, located outside the stewards room.


Relevant Links:

Australian Harness Racing Rules

Harness Racing Victoria ‘Change of Driving Tactics Policy

Harness Racing Victoria Stewards ‘Minimum Penalty Guidelines

For any further information in relation to this notice please contact HRV Stewards on 8378 0222.

 

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