Tas - Rule Amendments - Effective 1 January 2018

HARNESS INDUSTRY NOTICE

RULE AMENDMENTS EFFECTIVE 1 JANUARY 2018

Please note that the following Rule amendments have been adopted by Tasracing and come into effect on 1 January 2018.

In relation to AHRR 220, Office of Racing Integrity have determined that a “restraining device” for the purpose of the Rule will be:

            1:         Leading and rearing bits

            2:         Bridles to which a lead is attached to the bit

            3:         Stallion chain, properly fitted either over the nose or through the mouth.

Further participants are reminded that non-compliance with this Rule could result in a monetary penalty being imposed by the Stewards.

Adrian Crowther

Chairman of Stewards (Harness)

 AUSTRALIAN HARNESS RACING RULES

Rules Amendments - HRA approved 7 December 2017

Effective 1st January 2018

4. LICENCES

Trainers Licence

          Amend 90A (2.8)

(2.8)   (a) The Controlling Body may grant a trainer’s licence to a person to train only in partnership with up to three persons.

1. Subject to sub-rule 2.8(c) each partner shall be subject to any penalty that may be imposed under the Rules on any other partner.

2. If a partner other than the partner upon whom the penalty is imposed satisfies the Stewards that the penalty was not imposed for a breach of any Rule directly related to the training of a horse then the Stewards may determine that the penalty does not apply to that partner.

3. (i) ApartnershallgivenoticeinwritingtotheStewardsofhis intention to withdraw from or dissolve the partnership.

   (ii) Upon receipt of such notice the Stewards may order that any horse trained by the partnership shall not be eligible to race until the Stewards are satisfied that the horse is being trained in accordance with the Rules.

   5. HORSES

   Pregnant Mares

             Amend Rule 103B

   103B. (1)              A mare or filly shall not race or perform track work after day 120 of its pregnancy.

                   (2)               A person who fails to comply with this Rule is guilty of an offence.

   8.  REQUIRED RACING STANDARD

   Race to win or for best position

                Amend Rule 149(4)

   149. (4) The connections of a horse shall not give a direction or instruction to the driver of a horse if in the opinion of the Stewards that direction or instruction may prevent the driver from giving the horse full opportunity to win or obtain the best possible placing.

   9.  DRIVERS

    Priorities concerning horse to be driven

4. Amend Rule 152(2)

5. Add new Rule 152(3)

6. Renumber existing Rule 152(3) to 152(4)

7. Renumber existing Rule 152(4) to 152(5)

8. Renumber existing Rule 152(5) to 152(6)

   152. (2)  A person who owns or trains more than one horse starting in a race and who desires to drive in that race must observe the order of priority set out in this sub rule. 

   1. First: The person shall drive the horse the person owns and trains.

   2. Second: The person shall drive the horse which the person owns but which is trained by someone else.

   3. Third: The person shall drive the horse trained but not owned by the person.

9. Ownership for the purposes of sub-rule (2) shall be determined by the degree of ownership (in percentage terms) held by that person.

10. The order of priority set out in sub rule (2) may be varied by the Stewards.

11. Application to the Stewards to vary the order of priority must be made in such manner as the Chairman of Stewards determines.

12. In this rule "person" means in relation to horses starting in a race, an owner, trainer, part owner and lessee and a "trainer" includes a driver temporarily in charge of a horse in a trainer's absence.

    Whips

13. Add new sub-rule 156(4)(h)

     (4) For the purposes of sub-rule (3) a driver shall be deemed to have used the whip in an unapproved manner in the following circumstances which are not exclusive:-

                                    (h)               If the driver uses the whip without holding a rein in each hand.

    relating to matters at the start and during the race

14. Amend Rule 162(1)(l)

    162.       (1)           A driver shall not -

      (l) allow his horse to progress in advance of the mobile barrier arms once the score-up has commenced;

                    Amend Rule 162(1)(www)

    162.       (1)           A driver shall not - 

                                         (www) allow his horse to shift ground in a manner which:

15. impedes

16. hinders

17. advantages another horse;

                Amend Rule 163(1)(c)

    163.       (1)           A driver shall not -

                                    (c)              allow the driver's horse or the sulky or any part thereof to:

                                                    (I)             shift inside the marker post;

     (ii)          make contact with the marker post.

                 Amend Rule 163(5)

    163. (5) A driver who, in the opinion of the Stewards, fails to comply with any provision of this rule is guilty of an offence and in relation to sub-rules (1)(c)(i) and (ii) and sub-rule (2) the Stewards may disqualify the horse or give it a lower placing.

    relating to sulkies

                 Amend Rule 170(1)

    170. (1) (a) A driver shall, throughout the course of a race, drive with both feet in the rests of the sulky, unless he is activating approved gear. 

      (b) For the purposes of sub-paragraph (a) hereof, when activating approved gear by foot, the driver’s foot shall not be moved in a downwards direction from the sulky footrest.

    12.  PROHIBITED SUBSTANCES

    Determination of prohibited substance

18. Amend Rule 188A(2)(k)

    188A. (2) The following substances when present at or below the levels set out are excepted from the provisions of sub rule 1 and Rule 190AA:    

    (k)           Cobalt at a concentration of 100 micrograms per litre in urine or 25 micrograms per litre in plasma.

    Log Book

19. Amend Rule 190B(1)(b)(ii)

    190B. (1)                 A trainer shall at all times keep and maintain a log book:-

    (b) recording all details of treatment administered to any horse in his or her care and including as a minimum requirement: 

                                                    (ii)             the date and time of administration of the treatment 

     Unregistered substances

20. Amend Rule 194

    194. A person who procures or attempts to procure or has in his possession or on his premises or under his control any substance or preparation that is not registered or labelled in accordance with either State or Commonwealth Legislation is guilty of an offence.

     Administering substances

21. Amend Rule 196B(2)(b)

    196B. (2)                For the purposes of this Rule - 

     (b) Administering an injection to a horse means the use of a hypodermic needle or other instrument to introduce or extract any substance from the horse;

22. Add new Rule 196C

    196C. (1) A person must not administer an alkalinising agent in any manner to a horse which is engaged to run in a race:

    1. at any time on the day of the scheduled race and prior to the start of the race;

    2. at any time within one (1) clear day of the commencement of the race.

23. Any person who:-

    1. administers an alkalinising agent;

    2. attempts to administer an alkalinising agent;

    3. causes an alkalinising agent to be administered; and/or

    4. is a party to the administration of, or an attempt to administer, an alkalinising agent contrary to sub-rule (1) is guilty of an offence.

24. Where the Stewards are satisfied that a horse has, or is likely to have been, administered any alkalinising agent contrary to sub-rule (1), the Stewards may prevent the horse from starting in any relevant race.

25. For the purposes of this Rule:-

    one clear day means the twenty four (24) hour period from 12.01 a.m. to 12

    midnight.

     14.  GENERAL OFFENCES

    Horses

                 Amend Rule 220

    220. A person shall not lead a horse at a racecourse other than by way of a lead rope attached to a properly fitted restraining device.

    Children's Access to Stabling Areas On-Course

                 Repeal Rule 254A(1), (2), (3)

    254A.  (1) A child who has not attained the age of 14 years may only enter the stabling area at a race meeting or an official trial where that child is separated from the horse stalls by a barrier preventing direct access to the horse stalls.

26. A licensed person must take all reasonable steps to ensure that a child under their care and/or control and who has not attained the age of 14 years shall not enter the stabling area at a race meeting or an official trial unless that child is separated from the horse stalls by a barrier preventing direct access to the horse stalls.

27. A licensed person who contravenes the provisions of sub-rule (2) is guilty of an offence.

      21.  GENERAL MATTERS

    Matters related to recognised harness racing authorities

28. Add new Rule 297(9)

29. Renumber existing 297(9) to 297(10)

    1. The Controlling Body may exchange information with a recognized harness racing authority.

    2. In this rule a recognised harness racing authority includes members of the International Trotting Association and the officials, officers and Stewards of the authority.

        Summary of Amendments – HRA approved 7 December 2017

       RULES AMENDED

       90A(2.8), 103B, 149(4), 152(2), 162(1)(l), 162(1)(www), 163(1)(c), 163(5), 170(1), 188A(2)(k),

       190B(1)(b)(ii), 194, 196B(2)(b), 220

       NEW RULES / SUB-RULES

       152(3), 156(4)(h), 297(9)

       RULES REPEALED

       254A(1), (2), (3)

       RULES RENUMBERED

       152(3) to 152(4), 152(4) to 152(5), 152(5) to 152(6), 297(9) to 297(10)