Harness Stewards Inquiry: Race For Roses & Miss Sangrial
The Stewards inquiry into the circumstances surrounding MISS SANGRIAL racing in race 9 at Gloucester Park on Friday 3 May starting from a 20m handicap has been concluded.
Under the conditions of the ‘Level 9’ standing start race horses with a HWOE of 55,000 to 69,999 are handicapped off 20 metres and horses with a HWOE of 70,000 to 84,999 are handicapped off 30 metres.
The inquiry heard that MISS SANGRIAL had been nominated for the race on Monday 29 April and was handicapped in the system at the 20m mark on HWOE $66,163.50. MISS SANGRIAL then raced at Pinjarra that same day and won $4,483.50, increasing its HWOE to $70,647.00.
The Harvey system automatically calculated the change to MISS SANGRIAL’s HWOE however the system is not designed to automatically re-handicap standing start marks. The fields were released with the 20m handicap mark leading MISS SANGRIAL to contest the race from the incorrect mark.
After carefully considering all evidence including the handicapping conditions of the race, the evidence of the mare’s connections and the race itself stewards disqualified MISS SANGRIAL from the Laurie Kennedy Race For Roses Fillies and Mares SS Pace acting under HRR 64.
MISS SANGRIAL’s disqualification was on the grounds of the horse not being re-handicapped during the fields’ preparation process and through no fault of MISS SANGRIAL’s Trainer, Michael Brennan.