Horsham First Four Punters Dudded By GRV Stewards Decision

I have been following greyhound racing in Victoria for the past 35 years.

For the most of that time I have viewed replays of races from all the tracks. Whether by video or now on DVD I have diligently recorded all manner of variables and noted all manner of bizarre events.

The latest is the most incredible thing I've ever seen.

Well not that I've seen, but the most bizarre aftermath of all time.

Have the authorities completely lost it?

If your readers want a laugh, let them have a look at the replay of race 9 at on the 11th of January 2011. It can be found below.

A runner, the pink, falls right on the line and skids across in fourth place.

racecaller queried its right to run fourth and this prompted a to disqualify it.

What a load of rubbish!

What a farce!

Seriously I wonder what goes through people's minds. They should publish an apology.

The rule you need to look at to make up your minds is rule 61 (4). It speaks about dogs noses on the line determining place order.

I'm sure the stumbling greyhound's nose was still intact, despite the arduous fall.

Further I offer this example – A field of five runners face the starter and just after the start two of them fall. One picks itself up and despite being beaten 30 lengths or so it completes the course and finishes fourth.

Would it be disqualified?…not bloody likely. Its nose went over the line fourth and that would be its placing under rule 61 (4).

Want another example? Bobby Boucheau was 20 lengths in front at last Thursday in a 600m race and went on to win in time. The track was a little moist .So what happens if he slips 10 meters from the line and slides across winning by 16 lengths instead of 20 lengths in near track record time?

Would ‘they' have disqualified it? Not bloody likely.

Unlike a horse that may stumble near the line, we have no jockey; unlike a harness horse galloping over the line, we have no such restriction; so what was the problem.?

Clearly there wasn't one, but one was just created.

Now if my interpretation of the is incorrect in this instance, I apologize; but if I'm in error then we need new rules.

I have spoken to a least a dozen well respected greyhound people and they all support my contention and urged me to pen this story.

Editors note: The GRV Horsham report make no specific mention a special steward ruling applying to the fourth placed Piscalle Lad. It is therefore inexplicable how the official placing was deprecated from what should have been “4th” to “F” for fallen. Rule 61 (4) is reproduced below:

R61 Judging
(4) The finishing positions of all greyhounds in an Event shall be recorded according to the order in which their noses have reached the finishing line.

Subscribe
Notify of
guest
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments