Punters were left up in arms by the stewards’ decision to allow the result of an Albany harness race over the weekend to stand despite several harness racing drivers pulling their horses up thinking the race had been called off.
In extraordinary scenes, the standing start of Race 5 at the West Australian racetrack on Friday night saw rank outsider Melton Express stand flat footed at the start before backing straight into the path of Crimson Floyd, with both drivers dislodged.
The remaining five horses continued until some 600m after the start where in the mistaken belief that the race would be abandoned because of injured drivers or horses on the track, two drivers decided to pull their horses up.
Jack Justins on $4.50 shot Chuck Norris was the first to pull up, and then Lang Inwood on Across the Way ($18) decided his race was also over, dropping back through the field.
Chaos reigned for the next lap as caller Craig Morrison tried to make sense of what was going on.
“I’ve been calling a long time, but this is one of the strangest races I’ve ever seen,” he said.
He would then receive confirmation from the stewards that the race was progressing, with just the three horses in contention.
Dredlock Rockstar, the $2.80 favourite, would go on to win the race, defeating Four Needed ($7.70) and Estocada ($3.40).
Across The Way would fill the first four, some 380 metres (or around 30 seconds) behind the winner.
Here is the race – You be the Judge
The stewards report from the meeting said that after interviewing all the drivers, it was established that there were no reasons the race should be called off.
No siren had sounded and the decision to pull the horses up was made by the drivers themselves.
However, an inquiry was opened into their actions.
Driver Wes Andrews, who was cannoned into at the start, was taken to Albany Hospital.
The replay of the race and the full stewards report is below.
By Bren O'Brien
Reprinted with permission of punters.com.au site
If Albany race 5 is not declared a no race Harness Racing is dead @Punters @HRNSW_Harness @racing_nsw
The Stewards Report:
As the start was effected MELTON EXPRESS stood flat footed and then commenced to run backwards and as a result CRIMSON FLOYD which was trailing made heavy contact with the sulky of MELTON EXPRESS NZ resulting in drivers W. Andrews (MELTON EXPRESS) and T. Stone (CRIMSON FLOYD) becoming dislodged from their sulkies. As both horses and drivers had cleared the track the race continued. Prior to the all-clear Stewards questioned all Drivers in the event into the reasons for them appearing to restrain their horses during the early stages of the event. The drivers stated that they elected to restrain their runners as they were off the opinion that the race would be stopped due to the fall shortly after the start. In giving consideration to the evidence tendered by all drivers Stewards were of the opinion that at no stage were any warning sirens sounded to alert the drivers to restrain their runners, there was no interference suffered to any runner and that the track was clear of any obstruction and therefore clear to continue running the race. As a results Stewards declared the event and race gave the all clear on the judge’s numbers.
As Driver W. Andrews was injured he was transported to Albany Base Hospital for observation. Due to the delay all races were put back 1 race with Race 9 re scheduled to start at 11.05pm.
Stewards opened an inquiry into the actions of the following Drivers L. Inwood (ACROSS THE WAY), M. Young (ESTOCADA), T. Wheeler (FOUR NEEDED), J. Justins (CHUCK NORRIS), A. Markham (DREDLOCK ROCKSTAR) during the running of the event. After taking initial evidence the inquiry was adjourned to a time and date to be fixed.
MELTON EXPRESS – Stood flat footed at the start and lost ground. Driver dislodged shortly after the start. In view of the performance stood down until it can complete one satisfactory standing start trial.
CRIMSON FLOYD – Severely checked after the start and dislodged driver.