VIC - Stewards Supplementary Report

Cranbourne– 23 March 2021

RACE 6 – DECRON PACE (2080 MS)

Blake Caruana, trainer of Letherhairdown NZ, advised subsequently from the event advised blood test results revealed the mare to have elevated enzyme levels and displaying signs of tying up. Mr Caruana advised Letherhairdown NZ will now be treated accordingly prior to continuing with its current preparation.

Tabcorp Park Melton– 24 March 2021

RACE 5 – MELTON TOYOTA PACE (2240 MS)

Blake Caruana stable representative for  Ted Caruana, trainer of Better Exclusive NZ, advised blood test results revealed the gelding displaying signs of tying up and would now be treated accordingly prior to the stable continuing with its current preparation.

Ballarat– 25 March 2021

RACE 1– PETstock PACE (2200 MS)

Gary Lawlor, trainer of Shady Credit, advised subsequently from the event the mare to have worked and recovered satisfactorily. Mr Lawlor attributed the performance to Shady Credit being unable to progress into the event from a wide second row draw and the mare racing extremely wide from the 500m as the mare strikes its knees. Mr Lawlor advised Shady Credit is engaged at Hamilton 5th April 2021.

Bendigo– 26 March 2021

RACE 6 – SOLAR1 ELECTRICAL BENDIGO PACE (2150 MS)

Ros Rolfe, trainer of Franks Very Much, advised subsequently from the event the gelding to have worked and recovered satisfactorily. Mrs Rolfe advised she will continue with the current preparation. Mrs Rolfe advised Franks Very Much is engaged at Tabcorp Park Melton 3rd April 2021.

RACE 7– ALDEBARAN PARK TROT (2150 MS)

Brent Lilley, trainer of The Majestic NZ, advised subsequently from the event the gelding to have recovered satisfactorily. Mr Lilley advised The Majestic NZ will now be exiting his stable with the gelding continue its racing future interstate.

Tabcorp Park Melton– 27 March 2021

RACE 7 – WOODLANDS STUD CARLOTTA'S PRIDE TROTTERS FREE FOR ALL (GROUP 3) (1720 MS)

Kari Males, trainer of Red Hot Tooth, advised subsequently from the event the mare to have recovered satisfactorily. Mrs Males attributed the performance to the mare failing to back up from the previous week. Mrs Males advised Red Hot Tooth has now been sent for a spell.

RACE 10 – SWIFT SIGNS TROT (2240 MS)

Chris Svanosio, trainer of Aldebaran Alissa NZ, advised subsequently from the event the mare to have worked and recovered satisfactorily. Mr Svanosio attributed the performance to the mare enduring more work than expected during the middle stages of the event. Mr Svanosio advised he will continue with the current preparation.

John Caldow stable representative for Maree Caldow,trainer of Sonny Brooke, advised subsequently from the event the gelding to have worked and recovered satisfactorily. Mr Caldow attributed the performance to the gelding failing to race genuinely in half hopples and it will now be the stables intentions to consider removing the gear. Mr Caldow advised the stable will continue with the current preparation.

Supplementary Stewards Report

Tabcorp Park Melton– 23 October 2020

RACE 5 –  TAB LONG MAY WE PLAY BOLD DAVID FREE FOR ALL (2240 MS)

At the Melton Harness Racing meeting on 23 October 2020, Harness Racing Victoria (HRV) Stewards commenced an inquiry in relation to the driving tactics adopted by Ryan Duffy on Rocknroll Icon in Race 5 the ‘TAB Long May We Play Bold David Free For All’.

At the completion of that inquiry, Stewards adjourned the inquiry to investigate further information in relation to the race.

The adjournment allowed HRV Stewards to conduct an analysis of the following:

• Wagering data of the relevant race;
• Previous race history and form of Rocknroll Icon;
• Historical sectional time data for pacing events conducted over 2240m at Melton.

Upon consideration of the evidence available, Ryan Duffy, driver of Rocknroll Icon pleaded guilty to a charge under Australian Harness Racing Rule (AHRR) 149(2) which states:

A person shall not drive in a manner which in the opinion of the Stewards is unacceptable.

The particulars of the charge being:

1. On 23 October 2020, at the Tabcorp Park Melton meeting Mr Duffy participated as a licensed driver with HRV when he drove Rocknroll Icon in Race 5, the ‘TAB Long May We Play Bold David Free For All’.

1. From the 2240m mobile barrier start, after driving forward with vigour from barrier one (1) shortly after the start, Mr Duffy allowed Rocknroll Icon to stride whilst in the lead passing the 1800m, which resulted in a fast lead time of 42.2 seconds being recorded;

1. Between the 1600m and 800m, Mr Duffy again allowed Rocknroll Icon to stride whilst in the lead, failing to afford the gelding sufficient respite, which resulted in the first half of the last mile being recorded in a fast time of 57.8 seconds;

1. Approaching and passing the 800m, Mr Duffy drove Rocknroll Icon forward to further increase the speed of the race, which resulted in the 3rd quarter being recorded in 28.1 seconds;

1. Approaching and passing the 400m, Mr Duffy permitted Rocknroll Icon to shift out and away from the marker pegline when under driving, resulting in Rackemup Tigerpie being able to obtain an inside run passing the 300m.

1. The manner in which Mr Duffy rated Rocknroll Icon for the greater majority of the race whilst in the lead and then permitted that gelding to shift out and away from a position on the marker pegline passing the 400m, was driving in a manner that in the opinion of Stewards was unacceptable.

HRV Stewards assessed penalty in accordance with the HRV Minimum Penalty Guidelines and took into account the following considerations:

• Mr Duffy’s guilty plea and clear prior offence record relative to Rule 149(2);
• That Mr Duffy has been licensed with HRV to drive in races since April 2017, been an A grade driver since April 2018 and driven in approximately 1710 races;
• The high frequency and volume that Mr Duffy has driven in races in recent racing seasons;
• That the degree of culpability when determining the applicable factors was in the low to mid range of offending for the application of Rule 149(2).

Accordingly, Mr Duffy’s licence to drive in races was suspended for a period of three (3) weeks, with the commencement of this suspension to take effect from midnight 15 May 2021, which is the conclusion of a term of suspension that Mr Duffy is currently serving.