
Originally Posted by
triplev123
Genius eh?
What's with the snotty attitude?
Explain it? .........Rule 66 gives you guys the required wiggle room...that's why.
The Relegation/Setback rule as it was written did not and there's no denying that the campaign to have it removed was national and that it was widely supported by your fellow Stipes (surprise, surprise), also desirous of said wiggle room.
In fact, every single attempt that is made to tighten the universe in which you guys move is staunchly resisted, even if the ultimate outcome is a more clear cut & dependable definition for the participants.
The fact is that the level of discretion you enjoy, and the level that is currently built into the rules of racing as they pertain to interference in particular, is just plain wrong, it always has been, always will be unless something is done to change it, & it is exactly that which leads to intepretation and onwards to so much contention...such as the thrust of this thread for example.
The way things are at present...even in a big $ high profile race...the worst a driver can expect is to be fined and suspended. I'm yet to see anyone with the ticker to make a harsher call.
As they stand at present the interference rules are all about how the Punter might perceive their first past the post horse being taken down and so they have little or nothing to do with how any interference impacts on the connections of the horse on the receiving end.
For example, there was an absolutely clear cut classic case of some close to the finish line interference in a very high profile race, I refer to the one which cost Vertigal the Bathurst Gold Tiara Final, and even then...with all & sundry including Blind Freddy calling it...the Stewards point blank refused to relegate. Absolutely A-B-S-U-R-D.
In North America interference such as that would have been a no brainer. Here though, we have wiggle room.