QUEENSLAND RACING INTEGRITY COMMISSION

STEWARDS REPORT

TOWNSVILLE TURF CLUB

TOWNSVILLE – THURSDAY 16 MARCH 2023

WEATHER – Fine TRACK RATING – Good 4 R1-2, Heavy 8 R3-8
RAIL – +6m 1000m – W/Post, + 2.5 remainder
PENETROMETER – 4.69

OFFICIALS

Chairman of Stewards – D Griffiths
Stewards – K Lees, P Gillard, P Warren, S Coulthard (Cadet), K Dean (Cadet)
Clerk of Scales – G Doherty
Judge – S Nosworthy
Veterinarian – D. Viero
Swab Attendants – A. Lee
Starter – J Mcintosh


GENERAL

Stewards permitted the following weight variations at today’s meeting:
R1. L Tilley +1kg
R1. A Layt +1kg
R3. L Tilley +1kg
R3. A Layt +1kg
R3. S Sheargold +1kg
R8. L Morrison +1kg (Replaced J Huxtable)
R8,. S Sheargold +1kg

The following horses which had all raced in the previous 5 days were inspected pre-race by the Club Veterinary Surgeon and passed fit to start -:

Race 2 – THE BEAT GOES ON
Race 3 – MISS STARLETTE
Race 7 - BILBAO


Race 1: BROWN BROTHERS QTIS Two-Year-Old Maiden Handicap 1000 metres

Croagh Patrick - Raced wide throughout. Hung in near the 650 momentarily tightening Betta Al.

Better Not Fuss- Approaching the 600 meters Better Not Fuss was leading and over racing which resulted in Apprentice I Teh. having to gather up her reins and take a further grip. Shortly after passing the winning post the gelding became unbalanced and struck the running rail.

Betta Al – Tightened for room at the 650m and steadied as a consequence.

Hit The Road – Approaching the 650m Hit The Road which was racing on the fence had a tendency to hang out and race ungenerously for a short distance.

Miss Mildred –Raced wide for the majority of the race and greenly throughout.


Race 2: HYGAIN BENCHMARK 65 Handicap 1609 metres


Conquering Judas – Jockey L Morrison was reprimanded pursuant to AR132(7)(a)(ii) for using her whip on 7 occasions prior to the 100m.

Cunnamulla – Over raced in the early stages. Commenced to hang in over the final 350 metres requiring Jockey J Taylor to change the whip over to the right hand at the 200 metres in an effort to correct the gelding.

Members Only – Tendency to over race and lay out in the early and middle stages. When questioned in relation to the disappointing performance of Members Only Jockey A Layt advised the gelding was travelling off the bit at the 700m and he was forced to use the whip on the gelding at the 500m in an attempt to improve. He stated that the gelding did not respond and failed to run on as expected.

Validar – Commenced to over race from the 1400m and lay out.


Race 3: CLUDEN PARK Maiden Handicap 1200 metres

The start was delayed from the advertised time of 2:12pm to 2:22pm due to a heavy downfall.
A further delay occurred when horses arrived at the barriers as a result of an injury sustained by barrier attendant B Farrell who required ambulance attention.

Following this event, the track was downgraded to a Heavy 8.

Harmonic Boom- Reared in barriers causing its barrier gate to open, as a consequence Jockey L Morrison was dislodged. Harmonic Boom became loose and cantered a short distance before being captured and was declared a late scratching by order of the stewards at 2:24pm. Harmonic Boom was inspected by the Club Veterinary Surgeon and had sustained no injury. Trainer G Hughes was advised that he will need to obtain a barrier certificate for Harmonic Boom before the gelding races again.

Upon the declaration of correct weight stewards ordered that all monies invested on Harmonic Boom be refunded with the following deductions to apply.
1st- 10cents Win, 7cents Place
2nd- 13cents
3rd- 10cents

Verdansk - Slow to Begin. Raced wide.

Tycoon Cindy – Raced fiercely in the early and middle stages. Approaching the 1000m, got its head in the air and lost ground when the filly commenced to over race.

Pelsaert – Raced wide. Checked across the heels of Phospher Bronze at the 300m.

Inclusion – Slow into stride. Raced wide.

Mutafiq – Slow to begin. Steadied at the 1000m when racing ungenerously. Raced wide for the majority.

Yankee Blossom – Raced wide for the majority of the race.

Phospher Bronze- Jockey Stanley reported his mount hung out badly from the 600 meters and that he had to stop riding and straighten the gelding over the final 300m.

Don'tstoplaughing – Checked off the heels of Tycoon Cindy at the 1000m and over raced for a short distance thereafter. Don’tstoplaughing refused to settle and again raced ungenerously between the 700m and 500m.

Miss Starlette – Slow to begin.


Race 4: CARLTON & UNITED BREWERIES OPEN Handicap 1200 metres

Battle Cry – Slow to begin

Ashton Blair – Jumped awkwardly. Raced wide.

Leadership Spill – Underwent a post-race veterinary check and no injury found.

Rigel – Raced wide for the majority of the race.

Such A Whit – Laid out over the final 300m.


Race 5: HAPPY ST PATRICKS DAY RATINGS BAND 0 - 55 Handicap 1400 metres

Zoomaratta - Jockey C Spry was found guilty of a charge to careless riding under the provisions of AR131(a) in that he allowed Zoomaratta to shift in approaching the 900 metres when not clear of Right Bower resulting in Right Bower being severely checked. Jockey C Spry’s licence to ride in races was suspended for a period of 12 days to commence on 26 March 2023 and expire 6 April 2023. Zoomaratta shifted ground over the concluding stages.

Coco Cuber – Jockey J Stanley reported that gelding overraced in the early and middle stages of the event.

He Will Acheev – As the starting gates opened He Will Acheev got its head down and lost considerable ground. Stewards delayed correct weight and viewed the official Patrol Film before determining that He Will Acheev be declared a runner. Trainer T Comerford was advised that he will need to obtain a barrier certificate for the gelding before it races again.

Cool Harry – Connections advised that the instructions to Jockey P Romeo were to attempt to ride the gelding just off the pace. This was announced publicly, and the gelding was ridden accordingly. Hampered at the 900 metres when Right Bower was checked and lost ground.

Day To Favour – Collided with another runner on jumping and lost ground.

Right Bower- Severely checked at the 900 metres when Zoomaratta crossed. Struck by a large clod of dirt thrown back on the home turn.


Race 6: TRACKSIDE PHOTOGRAPHY QTIS Three-Year-Old RATINGS BAND 0 - 60 Handicap 1000 metres

Our Addiction - Trainer B Williams had requested Our Addiction to be ridden forward as usual however to try and settle the gelding just off the pace. Our Addiction was ridden accordingly however was caught three wide with cover for the majority of the event.

Simply Beans – Raced three wide without cover for the majority of the event.

Sumbank – The saddle of Jockey L Morrison shifted back in running placing the rider at a severe disadvantage.


Race 7: MITAVITE Class 3 Plate 1000 metres

Canadian Rockies- Eased at the 200 metres when Smarty Lee shifted out to improve. AR131(a).

Hokolesqua- Raced wide for the majority of the race.

Phantom Spirit – Brushed another runner shortly after the start.

Smarty Lee – Jumped awkwardly and raced ungenerously in the middle stages. At the 200 metres Smarty Lee was shifted out to improve when not fully clear of Canadian Rockies which had to be steadied. Jockey C Spry was reprimanded for shifting ground when not fully clear.

Xtrayya – Crowded for room approaching the winning post and had to be steadied.

Cogent (NZ) – Slow to begin and brushed another runner shortly after the start.

Super Fast – Raced wide for the majority of the race.

Bilbao – The start was delayed due to Jockey S Sheargold being unwell. He was examined by an Ambulance Officer behind the barriers and cleared to take his mount.


Race 8: NEXT RACE MEETING FRIDAY 24 MARCH Class 4 Handicap1200 metres

Finally Realise – Crowded for room soon after jumping and had to be checked. Raced wide until the middle stages.

New King (GB) – Crowded for room soon after jumping.

Stifling – Shifted in soon after jumping crowding runners to the inside.

Mishani Rebound –Raced wide throughout. Jockey S Sheargold was fined $200 for changing his riding boots after weighing out pursuant to AR185


STEWARDS RACE DAY SUMMARY

Summary of action concerning licensees

Reprimands
R2. Jockey L Morrison was reprimanded pursuant to AR132(7)(a)(ii) for using her whip on 7 occasions prior to the 100m.
R7. Jockey C Spry was reprimanded pursuant to AR131(a)(ii) for Careless Riding causing a tightening.

Fines
R1. N Day – Overweight (Miss Mildred) - AR190(3) $100
R8. S Sheargold (Mishani Rebound) – Changing Boots after weighing Out - AR185- $200

Suspensions
R5 - Carl Spry - AR131(a) – 12 days to commence 26 March 2023 and to expire midnight 6 April 2023.

Race day injuries/illness
Barrier Attendant B Farrell transported to Hospital following a foot injury sustained when loading horses in Race 3.

Absent jockeys
J Huxtable – For reasons acceptable to stewards

Adjourned inquiries
Nil

Summary of action concerning thoroughbred horses

Horses swabbed pre-race
DARK REBEL, FAMILY STAR, PHOSPHER BRONZE

Horses swabbed post-race
All winners

Bars
R3. HARMONIC BOOM – Barrier Manners – Barrier certificate required.
R5. HE WILL ACHEEV – Barrier Manners – Barrier certificate required.

Bleeders
Nil
Falls
Nil
Adjourned inquiries
Nil

Protests
Nil

Summary of rider changes/Late notifications

R1. MISS MILDRED- N Thomas
R3. PHOSPHER BRONZE– J Stanley
R8. MCNAIR– L Morrison

Late scratchings

Race 3 HARMONIC BOOM (2.24 p.m.) – broke through the Barriers.

The matters contained within this Stewards report may be subject to an internal or external review. The outcome of any internal review is published on the Commission’s website immediately after the release of the internal review decision to the Applicant. External reviews are managed by QCAT and are not published on the Commission’s website.

This report and the Stewards Comments for this meeting may be amended at any time, at the sole discretion of the Queensland Racing Integrity Commission (QRIC) Stewards as races are reviewed.