Illicit love

[locarno 6]

Firstly I like to say I didn't have a bet on this race.

I feel that Illicit love got an unfair advantage when Crystal force her horse back to the rails which checked  another horse out of the race. In my opinion Illicit lover received an advantage which helped him win the race. Should a driver be given a decent  holiday instead of a small fine to stop this happening?

[Nelli 562]

2 hours ago, locarno said:

Firstly I like to say I didn't have a bet on this race.

I feel that Illicit love got an unfair advantage when Crystal force her horse back to the rails which checked  another horse out of the race. In my opinion Illicit lover received an advantage which helped him win the race. Should a driver be given a decent  holiday instead of a small fine to stop this happening?

Was surprised at the leniency too. The move severely checked the horse that would have got the trail out of the race and several other horses were checked too. Illicit Lover wasn't going to get to the lead and Hillbilly was in the one one, which is why Crystal made the move. Changed the whole complexion of the race.  No, I did not have a bet. 

[Iraklis 2,403]

Geez, when I saw it thought oh dear reckon Crystal's bout to get a holiday, I'm surprised that didn't happen which begs the question, why?  even the announcer mentioned he thought she (CHacket) could be in a spot of trouble....

 

Cheers Iraklis

[Charlie E 794]

They should bring back the rule they had back in the day . If a horse causes another horse to break , they are disqualified regardless if at the start or anytime through a race 

[MisterEd 439]

On 3/22/2025 at 9:49 AM, Iraklis said:

Geez, when I saw it thought oh dear reckon Crystal's bout to get a holiday, I'm surprised that didn't happen which begs the question, why?  even the announcer mentioned he thought she (CHacket) could be in a spot of trouble....

 

Cheers Iraklis

It's baffling how inconsistent the stewards can be. One race, a driver gets a week off for something minor, and the next, a blatant move goes unpunished. Maybe they thought the interference wasn’t severe enough, but if it changed the race result, surely that’s worthy of at least a mention?

At the end of the day, it feels like any infraction is a coin toss with the stipes. Some decisions just leave you shaking your head.

[JJ Flash 2,646]

18 hours ago, Charlie E said:

They should bring back the rule they had back in the day . If a horse causes another horse to break , they are disqualified regardless if at the start or anytime through a race 

That would entail stipes to actually do some work so no chance Charlie

[MisterEd 439]

Yes if you are going to check a horse make sure you take it right out of the race otherwise you might get disqualified if the horse you checked runs in the top five. Current rules encourage drivers to do just that which in my mind is absurd. 

Have a look at the rules for the running of the race and ask yourself how many times do you see these rules breached?

FFS for the first one there is usually several a meeting that go unquestioned.

 

RUNNING OF THE RACE

868

(1) No person including a driver, shall run a horse, or cause or permit a horse to be run other than on its merits.

(2) Every driver shall take all reasonable and permissible measures at all times during the race to ensure that his horse is given full opportunity to win the race or to obtain the best possible position and/or finishing place.

(3) Every driver shall drive his or her horse out to the end of the race if he or she has any reasonable chance of running first, second, third, fourth, or fifth.

(4) No driver shall trust to the chance of an information or proceeding.

869

(1) No driver shall look around unduly during a race.

(2) No driver shall during any race use a whip in a manner in contravention of the Whip and Rein Regulations made by the Board.

(3) No driver in any race shall drive:- (a) incompetently; (b) carelessly; (c) recklessly; (d) dangerously; (e) in a foul manner; (f) improperly; (g) in any manner capable of diminishing the chances of his horse winning.

(4) No driver shall during any race do anything which interferes or is likely to interfere with his own horse and/or any other horse or its progress.

(4A) No horse shall during any race do anything which interferes or is likely to interfere with any other horse or its progress.

(5) A driver shall trail with his horse's head behind the seat of the sulky being trailed.

(6) Subject to sub-rule (4) hereof:- (a) drivers are permitted to move ground inwards or outwards at any stage of the race to improve their racing position; (b) a horse during any race shall not be forced to race wider on the track; (c) a horse during a race shall not move ground outwards once the nose of the wider runner coming forward is in line with or past its sulky wheel and until the wider runner going forward is fully past. 25.11.19 31.7.10 9.8.08 1.8.98 1.8.97 1.8.97 1.8.97 31.8.17 1.11.22 25.11.19

(7) Sub-rule (6)(b) and (c) of this Rule shall apply until 1000 metres from the finish of the race. From this point all drivers shall be expected to make moves, with safety, to ensure the horse obtains the best possible place in the field.

(7A) Every driver who moves inwards shall ensure: (a) that contact is not made with any track marker (b) that any part of the sulky does not protrude inside the marker line (c) that the movement does not cause any other driver, horse or sulky to contact any track marker or protrude inside the marker line. It shall be a defence to a breach of this sub-rule if the driver establishes that the breach was attributable to the behaviour of his own horse or any other horse or driver in the race.

(7B) Where any horse or its sulky wheel moves inside the track marker line and gains an advantage the horse shall be disqualified from that race or relegated to behind any horse in respect of which an advantage may have been gained except where it is established that the breach was caused by interference by another horse or driver.

(8) Deleted 9 August 2014

(9) For the purpose of sub-rules (2), (3) and (4), the “race” shall include the preliminaries, the starts, and time period after the finish whilst the horse remains on the race track.

869A

(1) For the purpose of this rule: (a) “placed horse” means a horse placed by the Judge 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th or 5th; (b) “interference” means any conduct referred to in rule 869 which interferes or is likely to interfere with the progress of any horse in a race.

(2) When a placed horse or its driver causes interference to another placed horse and the Adjudicative Committee is satisfied that the horse interfered with would have finished ahead of the horse that, or whose driver, caused the interference the Adjudicative Committee must, in addition to any other penalty that may be imposed, place the horse that, or whose driver, caused the interference immediately after the horse interfered with.

(3) If the Adjudicative Committee is satisfied the interference was as a deliberate or reckless act or omission on the part of the driver who, or whose horse, caused interference the Adjudicative Committee, in addition to any other penalty that may be imposed, shall place the horse who, or whose driver, caused the interference immediately after the horse interfered with irrespective of where the interfered horse finishes.

(4) If the Adjudicative Committee is satisfied, as a result of interference, the horse interfered with was denied a higher stake bearing place it may order that the stake monies, or a portion of the stake monies, payable in respect of the horse that, or whose driver, caused the interference be paid to the owners of the horse interfered with.

(5) An information applying for a ruling under sub-rule (4) must be filed by the owner, or the owners’ authorised agent, of the horse interfered with no later than 30 minutes after the last race on the day of racing.

870

(1) When any horse breaks from its gait in any race its driver shall immediately take all reasonable steps to return it to its proper gait and where clearance exists immediately take such horse clear of the field.

(2) The following shall be a breach of sub-rule (1) hereof: 1.8.05 23.7.11 6.10.11 27.8.15 1.11.22 25.8.07 1.8.97 9.8.14 27.8.15 (a) failure to take the horse clear of the field; (b) failure to take all reasonable steps to return the horse to its proper gait; (c) failure to lose ground by the break.

(3) Any horse which breaks from its gait shall promptly regain its proper gait.

(4) Any horse which breaks from its gait in any race and: (a) which fails to promptly regain its proper gait; and/or (b) which is not taken clear of the field; and/or (c) in respect of which all reasonable steps are not taken to return it to its proper gait; and/or (d) which fails to lose ground by the break; may (in addition to any penalty that may be imposed pursuant to Rule 1003 hereof) subject to the provisions of the Breaking Horse Regulations made by the Board, be placed by the Stipendiary Steward immediately after any other horse in respect of which any advantage may have been gained.

(5) Notwithstanding the provisions of sub-rule (4) hereof any horse which is not in the correct gait when its nose reaches the finishing line and which is lapped on by any other horse or horses in the correct gait shall be placed by the Stipendiary Steward behind such horse or horses provided that where such first mentioned horse is not in its correct gait as a result of interference to such horse or its driver, then subject to rule 869A such relegation of the horse shall be at the discretion of the Stipendiary Steward.

870A (1) The licenced person in charge of a horse that finished in a stake-bearing place that may be relegated or disqualified under rule 870 may elect to have the matter determined by the Adjudicative Committee rather than by a Stipendiary Steward. The election must be notified to the Stipendiary Steward at the time the licensed person is first advised the horse may be relegated or disqualified under rule 870.

871 No horse shall be assisted to fill a stake bearing place by the co-operation of any other horse or driver after breaking gear during the running of the race. 872 If an accident or interference occurs during the running of the race every driver concerned therein or directly affected thereby shall, unless incapacitated, immediately after the race report the matter to the Stipendiary Stewards who shall thereupon, if they think it necessary, conduct an investigation into the cause of the accident or interference and take such further action permitted by these Rules. 872A Where a horse is involved in an accident or pulls up or is pulled up due to injury or potential injury while on the racetrack (either before the start, during the race, or after the finish) the horse must only be moved by the horse ambulance (if available) unless permission is given for the horse to be walked off the track by the race day veterinarian or in his or her absence a Stipendiary Steward.

[Charlie E 794]

It's about time they made some changes . As mentioned before bring back the rule , where if any horse causes another horse to break anytime through a race , they face disqualification regardless of where they finish 

Often you see horses squeezing up others to get into the trail , 3 back etc but never anything said . It's funny how drivers can push a horse in anytime through a race but can't push out until the last lap . 

Stupid thing is and I have mentioned this often . There is no longer is a running rail , so any incident up front horses can go on the inside of the track . Back in the day we only had a running rail , so no option but to go over a horse that fell or over the running rail . So bring back the push out rule where drivers can push out at anytime through a race it's a lot safer now . 

With the current rule only being able to push out on the last lap makes no sense either , because that's when horses are going at max speed other than at the start , so more dangerous anyway pushing out then 

[JJ Flash 2,646]

1 hour ago, Charlie E said:

It's about time they made some changes . As mentioned before bring back the rule , where if any horse causes another horse to break anytime through a race , they face disqualification regardless of where they finish 

Often you see horses squeezing up others to get into the trail , 3 back etc but never anything said . It's funny how drivers can push a horse in anytime through a race but can't push out until the last lap . 

Stupid thing is and I have mentioned this often . There is no longer is a running rail , so any incident up front horses can go on the inside of the track . Back in the day we only had a running rail , so no option but to go over a horse that fell or over the running rail . So bring back the push out rule where drivers can push out at anytime through a race it's a lot safer now . 

With the current rule only being able to push out on the last lap makes no sense either , because that's when horses are going at max speed other than at the start , so more dangerous anyway pushing out then 

Very logical but the old rule had its problems/issues as well re push out. i.e , outside driver to inside one, im not going that good do you wont out, no says other driver. I will next week if in same possie

[Charlie E 794]

This is why very rare I have a go , because I think what's the point if the horse is going to sit 3 or 4 back on the fence hopefully get out in the last lap . Then try to make up ground on a 56 , 57 last half that's impossible . Instead of wasting time just have 1200m races only lol