45yearsofharness 173 Report post Posted April 14, 2022 Saw a lot worse on the night, this is over the top. M Purdon (SELF ASSURED) [Rule 869(2) & Whip & Rein Regs] - Used whip with more than wrist flicking motion. Suspended from 15/04/2022 until 05/05/2022 inclusive. Fined $2500. All the same, what a great race, great crowd, Harness racing did something different and I believe it paid off. Thejanitor 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJ Flash 2,135 Report post Posted April 14, 2022 Pleaded guilty but did what he had to do when horse looked like knocking off. Given Purdon's driving fee was 20K and trainer percentage 40K I'm sure he will be ok with fine ,the worst part is what the suspension will cost him given all the big Auckland races that are coming up in next few weeks . Might he appeal severity? Mad not to IMO Thejanitor and 45yearsofharness 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nelli 434 Report post Posted April 14, 2022 The stipes have been having a binge on whip action around the country in recent times. Mark would have been very aware of this. His actions were obvious even to me so I suspect when the money's up, one does what it takes to ensure the win and just bite the bullet when it comes to the penalties. 45yearsofharness 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
eljay 1,720 Report post Posted April 14, 2022 Fines? Just another cost to the owners I would imagine. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iraklis 2,231 Report post Posted April 15, 2022 I thought any driver was supposed to drive a horse out on it's merits, give it every show.....isn't that what MarkP did? I don't get it.... Cheers Iraklis Value Bell, LongOwner and 45yearsofharness 3 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJ Flash 2,135 Report post Posted April 15, 2022 1 hour ago, Iraklis said: I thought any driver was supposed to drive a horse out on it's merits, give it every show.....isn't that what MarkP did? I don't get it.... Cheers Iraklis He was charged and was found guilty of "Used whip with more than wrist flicking motion." The only issue out there is the severity or otherwise of the "lenght of Suspension" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iraklis 2,231 Report post Posted April 15, 2022 JJ, yeh I got that, and also being out of position at the start of race, have you watched the end of the race? I have several times.....I've seen worse instances, just sayin Cheers Iraklis Pure Steel 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pure Steel 1,302 Report post Posted April 16, 2022 On 4/15/2022 at 10:06 AM, Iraklis said: I thought any driver was supposed to drive a horse out on it's merits, give it every show.....isn't that what MarkP did? I don't get it.... Cheers Iraklis Nash Rawiller got a $40,000 fine last week in a group 1 gallops win in the Queen Elizabeth, for excessive whip use. doesn't use whip = probably doesn't win race. If Mark in the RACE , doesn't drive out like he did, (using his vast experience at getting horses home in a tight finish) he only runs second. No fun in that lol..... How does a horse know if it's 10 or if it's 20 whip strikes. Horses don't count. I don't get it either ...... Iraklis 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iraklis 2,231 Report post Posted April 16, 2022 Yeh well Pure mate, the horse is too busy tryin to win the fricken race so he/she isn't gettin whacked in the first place and to be countin the whacks as well, geez not gunna happen.....but, but, on the serious side, strikes me (no pun intended) that if a driver doesn't do all he can to win, he cops it; if he does win, he cops it; rock and a hard place comes to mind. As I asked earlier I thought that a driver was to supposed to drive a horse right out on it's merits, did MarkP not do that? (and I'm not tryin to fight Mark's corner) just tryin to understand where the balance is, cos from where I'm standin it didn't look outta the ordinary to me..... Cheers Iraklis 45yearsofharness and Pure Steel 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thejanitor 1,226 Report post Posted April 16, 2022 47 minutes ago, Iraklis said: Yeh well Pure mate, the horse is too busy tryin to win the fricken race so he/she isn't gettin whacked in the first place and to be countin the whacks as well, geez not gunna happen.....but, but, on the serious side, strikes me (no pun intended) that if a driver doesn't do all he can to win, he cops it; if he does win, he cops it; rock and a hard place comes to mind. As I asked earlier I thought that a driver was to supposed to drive a horse right out on it's merits, did MarkP not do that? (and I'm not tryin to fight Mark's corner) just tryin to understand where the balance is, cos from where I'm standin it didn't look outta the ordinary to me..... Cheers Iraklis I don't think Mark normally whacks them that hard mate. But he had no choice because Self Assured had knocked off because he was so dominant but then suddenly along came Majestic Cruiser with earplugs still in roaring home like Usain Bolt. The champion trainer/driver had to give Self Assured a decent flick to get his mind back on the job. Personally, while I understand why Purdon did it, it wasn't nice to see. I don't like a horse being beaten that hard. It's not a good look. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spikecity 749 Report post Posted April 16, 2022 I thought it was marginal and have seen plenty worse with no action taken. He was never hands free of the reins. The being not on the gate I thought was absurd (even though Mark admitted it - mind you if you don't admit they will hound you). It was stated on The Boxseat and generally thought that the mobile would be running up faster than usual because of the calibre of horses. To the eye he was perhaps no more than a half length of the gate at dispatch and again we see other horses a length off the gate at dispatch in other races. To me it looked like the stipes though (Hmm - a $900,000 stake - let's milk it for what we can). Yes the fines won't worry Mark but the suspension will. Maybe Ricky will get the call up again. Bring back Tim hehe Thejanitor, Pure Steel, 45yearsofharness and 1 other 3 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iraklis 2,231 Report post Posted April 16, 2022 Janitor mate, I know MarkP don't whack his horses I was jokin with Pure, I agree Spike bout the bein outta position, thought that was nit pickin, as to his use of the whip at the finish what else was he supposed to do, and yes I too have seen far worse....why is it ok for some and not ok for others, just feel the rulings aren't bein applied very well, I mean didn't a driver get pinged at Cambridge for winning when the horse was expected to loose, come on, consistency would be great.... Cheers Iraklis 45yearsofharness 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
45yearsofharness 173 Report post Posted April 16, 2022 How different was it to Midnight Dash? That was not wrist only, probably thought the young fella had had enough fines and suspensions already. Spikecity and Iraklis 1 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
