Stewards News 2

[Messenger]

RACE 10 – WOODLANDS STUD PACE (1720 MS)

The all clear was withheld to enable Stewards and Rodney Petroff, driver of Major Delico (2nd place) to view the footage in the home straight in relation to Ultimate Vinnie (1st place) racing inside the line of marker pegs in the home straight. After doing so, Rodney Petroff (Major Delico) lodged a protest against Ultimate Vinnie being declared the winner alleging that runner obtained an advantage by racing inside the line of marker pegs. After giving consideration to the evidence and being mindful of rule 163 (2), Stewards established that after accessing and having a clear run in the sprint lane, near the 100m Ultimate Vinnie then shifted in and away from Major Delico which shifted in marginally, where thereafter Ultimate Vinnie raced well inside the line of three marker pegs and driver Sam Barker (Ultimate Vinnie) failed to adequately restrain his drive, rather continued to progress, apply the whip and advance his position. Stewards were therefore sufficiently satisfied that Sam Barker, driver of Ultimate Vinnie had failed to comply with his obligations in accordance with rule 163 (2) which states: If a driver’s horse or sulky shifts inside the line of marker posts, the driver shall restrain the horse and, without interference to another runner, return to a position outside the line of marker posts at the first opportunity and had therefore obtained an advantage to the detriment of Major Delico. On that basis, the protest was upheld and all clear was declared on the placings amended to: Major Delico (1st), Ultimate Vinnie (2nd), Sheffield Sparky (3rd) and Foolish Pleasure (4th). At a subsequent inquiry, driver Sam Barker (Ultimate Vinnie) pleaded guilty to a charge under rule 163 (2). After assessing penalty in accordance with the HRV Minimum Penalty Guidelines, considering previous penalties imposed under similar circumstances, Mr Barker’s guilty plea, relatively good record and the affect on the outcome of the race, Mr Barker’s licence to drive in races was suspended for 7 days to commence midnight 21 October 2022.

https://www.harness.org.au/racing/st...l/?mc=MX211022

I still wonder whether had Sam Barker pulled back on Vinnie and lost, he could have protested and won on protest

[aussiebreno]

RACE 10 – WOODLANDS STUD PACE (1720 MS)

The all clear was withheld to enable Stewards and Rodney Petroff, driver of Major Delico (2nd place) to view the footage in the home straight in relation to Ultimate Vinnie (1st place) racing inside the line of marker pegs in the home straight. After doing so, Rodney Petroff (Major Delico) lodged a protest against Ultimate Vinnie being declared the winner alleging that runner obtained an advantage by racing inside the line of marker pegs. After giving consideration to the evidence and being mindful of rule 163 (2), Stewards established that after accessing and having a clear run in the sprint lane, near the 100m Ultimate Vinnie then shifted in and away from Major Delico which shifted in marginally, where thereafter Ultimate Vinnie raced well inside the line of three marker pegs and driver Sam Barker (Ultimate Vinnie) failed to adequately restrain his drive, rather continued to progress, apply the whip and advance his position. Stewards were therefore sufficiently satisfied that Sam Barker, driver of Ultimate Vinnie had failed to comply with his obligations in accordance with rule 163 (2) which states: If a driver’s horse or sulky shifts inside the line of marker posts, the driver shall restrain the horse and, without interference to another runner, return to a position outside the line of marker posts at the first opportunity and had therefore obtained an advantage to the detriment of Major Delico. On that basis, the protest was upheld and all clear was declared on the placings amended to: Major Delico (1st), Ultimate Vinnie (2nd), Sheffield Sparky (3rd) and Foolish Pleasure (4th). At a subsequent inquiry, driver Sam Barker (Ultimate Vinnie) pleaded guilty to a charge under rule 163 (2). After assessing penalty in accordance with the HRV Minimum Penalty Guidelines, considering previous penalties imposed under similar circumstances, Mr Barker’s guilty plea, relatively good record and the affect on the outcome of the race, Mr Barker’s licence to drive in races was suspended for 7 days to commence midnight 21 October 2022.

https://www.harness.org.au/racing/st...l/?mc=MX211022

I still wonder whether had Sam Barker pulled back on Vinnie and lost, he could have protested and won on protest

Thats if he got up for 2nd. If he had restrained the horse out wide could well have finished in front of him so protest would have been 3rd v 1st which would have only relegated him to 2nd. Been dudded here I feel.

[Messenger]

If we are really taking into account 'The detrimental effect that an offence of this nature may have upon the harness racing industry.'
Maybe Robert Walters should have got 5yrs instead of 5mths

https://www.harness.org.au/media-roo...?news_id=54563

[Messenger]

PP and the Stewards (Adjourned Inquiry) have picked up this Rodney Lakey drive from Shep which looks the most blatant case, you are ever likely to see, of a driver taking hold because he does not want to run first four
If adjudicated as such, RL needs to get years not months
Watch Mac Almighty in the home str

https://www.harness.org.au/racing/fi...22#SPC26102201

[Theoldfox]

Well, well, one couldn't be faulted for assuming he was looking around and counting his placing before he grabbed hold.
Agree, if guilty, life ban. Someone guilty of such conduct adds nothing positive to the industry.

PP and the Stewards (Adjourned Inquiry) have picked up this Rodney Lakey drive from Shep which looks the most blatant case, you are ever likely to see, of a driver taking hold because he does not want to run first four
If adjudicated as such, RL needs to get years not months
Watch Mac Almighty in the home str

https://www.harness.org.au/racing/fi...22#SPC26102201

[Messenger]

If we are really taking into account 'The detrimental effect that an offence of this nature may have upon the harness racing industry.'
Maybe Robert Walters should have got 5yrs instead of 5mths

https://www.harness.org.au/media-roo...?news_id=54563

This is the replay for this one - a bit harder to prove than Lakey's one but having adjudicated that he was culpable he only got 5 months

[Showgrounds]

This is the replay for this one - a bit harder to prove than Lakey's one but having adjudicated that he was culpable he only got 5 months

The replay is irrelevant for us, the stewards had the head on footage. Of greater concern was Pitt's lighting quick response time to sprint the winner up the inside. Of course my concerns are irrelevant as the stewards saw nothing amiss with Pitt's horse landing a plunge (!). Walter's has plenty of form - just google "robert walters harness stewards" and you will find plenty of entertaining reading. There are a number of incidents similar to the one in question, ie, related to allegations of match fixing.

Five months could be interpreted as an outcome in Walters' favour as he is compiling arecord that would make Gaita blush.

An interesting aside, the race winner has not won in 24 subsequent start. Walters' drive, Machiavelli, has raced 22 times since for a very tidy 6 wins and 7 placings. This further points to how "extremely lucky" punters were to clean up on Border Cross at Echuca. It also suggests that Machavelli's drivers have worked out the strap in their left hand is a rein and, with gentle tugging, the mare runs straight instead of veering up the track.

[Showgrounds]

If a picture says a thousand words Lakey is in a spot of bother.

[Messenger]

PP has discovered the reason Rodney Lakey took hold was to drop a Ratings Point

[Messenger]

Rodney Lakey drove the same horse in the same class race, to victory tonight

https://www.harness.org.au/racing/fi...s/?mc=EC171122

As he is still driving thanks to

Stewards adjourned an inquiry into the driving tactics and actions of Rodney Lakey (Mac Almighty NZ) over the concluding stages

https://www.harness.org.au/racing/st...l/?mc=SP261022

We must keep our eye out for the Inquiry