Stewards Report

RIVERINA PACEWAY 5/12/2025

 

Stewards	T Quick (Chief Steward), M Ross, K Lockwood
Starter	P Bandy
Veterinarian	Dr S Willis, Dr J Berryman
Swab Official	E Hogan
Track	Fast
Weather	Fine

 

General

Due to the forecast hot weather, this meeting was run under the conditions of the HRNSW Heat Policy.

 

RACE 1 – MAWSONS PACE – 1740 metres

 

UNCHAINMYART – Pre-race swab sampled.

HES A TERROR – Examined by the Club Veterinarian prior to the race, as it has had over 200 race starts, and cleared to start. Gave ground over the concluding stages of the event. A Post-race Veterinary examination did not reveal any significant abnormalities.

OH SWEET CREATURE – Post-race swab sampled.

 

RACE 2 – YIRRIBEE STUD PACE – 1740 metres

 

ATOMIC BLACK – Broke gait after the start for which a warning was issued.

JILLIBY RYDER – Raced-roughly during the score-up, for which a warning was issued. Driver H O’Neill was questioned regarding his tactics, in particular him shifting wider approaching the home straight when following the leader instead of waiting to take a run in the sprint lane which would have been available to him. H O’Neill stated that the gelding was inclined to hang-out near the 200 metres and rather than fight it to try to get back to the inside of the leader he allowed it to come wider to maintain its momentum into the straight.

FLOPPA – Trainer W Potter was fined $50 under Rule 268A(1) for presenting the gelding to race in gear which was not correctly declared. Pre-race swab sampled.

ULTIMATE GLADIATOR NZ – Post-race swab sampled.

ONTHADARKSIDE – Examined by the Club Veterinarian prior to the race, after it slipped in the race day stalls, and was cleared to start.

COUNT YOUR BLESSIN – Held up for clear running over the concluding stages of the event. Driver N Jack was questioned regarding the tactics adopted with the gelding, in particular whether there was an option to shift wider rounding the home turn which may have enabled him to obtain clearer running in the home straight. N Jack stated that he did consider coming wider at that point but didn’t feel his runner was travelling all that well and felt saving ground rounding the turn would give his runner its best chance of being competitive in the finish. He added he was also mindful that his runner is only a 2YO, that was racing against older horses today, which wears spreaders to assist it getting round the turns so coming wider may have been detrimental to it being able to finish the race off. He further added that in his view saving ground when he did enabled his runner to finish in a better position than what it would have if they had of shifted wider and covered more ground.

 

RACE 3 – NUTRIEN EQUINE NSW BREEDERS CHALLENGE WESTERN REGION 2YO FILLIES FINAL (LISTED CLASSIC) – 1740 metres

 

General – Prior to the all-clear being given Trainer/Driver S Maguire (AWICKED WOMAN) who had been placed third past the post, asked to view the patrol footage of the race, to ascertain whether he had grounds to lodge a protest against the second placed IM NO STRANGER. After viewing the film S Maguire lodged an objection alleging interference in the early part of the home straight, stating that he had to check his runner when racing to the outside of IM NO STRANGER which shifted out. Evidence was taken from the Driver of IM NO STRANGER, H Ross, and further evidence from S Maguire, and the patrol footage further reviewed. Stewards dismissed the protest as they were of the view that while IM NO STRANGER had shifted-out when being corrected from hanging-in upon entering the home straight, resulting in AWICKED WOMAN being hampered, they felt that they could not be satisfied to the required standard that had that interference not occurred that AWICKED WOMAN would have beaten IM NO STRANGER to the finish line, given the margin between the two runners, and all clear was given on the judge’s numbers.

IM NO STRANGER – Pre-race swab sampled. Hung-in under pressure upon entering the home straight, for which a warning was issued, when being corrected shifted out, momentarily hampering AWICKED WOMAN. Withstood a protest by the connections of that runner to retain second place.

DIRECT TARGET – Over-raced during the middle stages of the event.

SHE SHIMMERS – Contacted a marker peg after shifting down in to the sprint lane upon entering the home straight.

AWICKED WOMAN – Momentarily hampered after entering the home straight when IM NO STRANGER shifted out. Protested against that runner, protest was dismissed.

MACHX THE STRANGER – Over-raced during the middle stages of the event. Post-race swab sampled.

 

RACE 4 – NUTRIEN EQUINE NSW BREEDERS CHALLENGE WESTERN REGION 2YO COLTS AND GELDINGS FINAL (LISTED CLASSIC) – 1740 metres

 

DEMBE – Pre-race swab sampled.

IM NO TROUBLE – Post-race swab sampled.

AMERIKIN RUNA – Over-raced during the middle stages of the event.

UPTOWN CHANCE – Driver J Locke was given the opportunity to comment on the below market expectations performance of the colt, he stated that while he wasn’t disappointed with it, he did feel it may have raced a bit flat over the concluding stages after backing up quickly from its previous run, which was its first run after a break of 7 weeks between runs. He added that it did race keenly during the middle stages of the event, which also would have contributed to it not being able to finish the race off strongly.

 

RACE 5 – NUTRIEN EQUINE NSW BREEDERS CHALLENGE WESTERN REGION 3YO FILLIES FINAL (LISTED CLASSIC) – 1740 metres

 

SHES A WARRAWEE – The filly’s near-side front hopple carrying strap became undone near the 500 metres resulting in her breaking gait near the 200 metres. The hopples were inspected following the race and found to be in a condition that they would be expected to cope with the stresses of racing.

BONDI LASS – Over-raced during the middle stages of the event.

SOMETHING FOR LEXY – Post-race swab sampled.

SHE THE DEVIL – Pre-race swab sampled.

 

RACE 6 – NUTRIEN EQUINE NSW BREEDERS CHALLENGE WESTERN REGION 3YO COLTS AND GELDINGS FINAL (LISTED CLASSIC) – 1740 metres

 

TUFFASOLDBOOTS – Inconvenienced leaving the 1200 metres when the pace eased.

MISTER WELLS – Inconvenienced leaving the 1200 metres when the pace eased.

BUSINESS IN HEAVEN – Pre-race swab sampled. Post-race swab sampled.

LOUIS THE LEGEND – Checked from the back of TUFFASOLDBOOTS leaving the 1200 metres, when that runner was inconvenienced when the pace eased, and broke gait.

 

RACE 7 – MATARANKA PARK STANDARDBREDS WARATAH HEAT – 1740 metres

 

CRIMSON ROCK NZ – Broke gait free of interference leaving the 400 metres, for which a warning was issued.

SHES GOT A REASON – Checked leaving the 800 metres when FRESH PRINCE broke gait.

IM ALRITE – Post-race swab sampled.

FRESH PRINCE – Pre-race swab sampled. Broke gait free of interference leaving the 800 metres, for which a warning was issued.

 

RACE 8 – NIXONS ENGINEERING PACE – 1740 metres

 

WE DEALIN DIAMONDS – Post-race swab sampled.

NEEDBEE – Held up for clear running until near the 50 metres.

BEACH DELIGHT – Pre-race swab sampled.

SKITTLE BOMB NZ – Fractious during the early part of the score-up.

 

RACE 9 – DOWNLOAD THE TAB APP TODAY PACE – 1740 metres

 

JUST ROLLYOUROWN NZ – Pre-race swab sampled.

SCARED STIFF NZ – Post-race swab sampled.

 

SUMMARY
Reprimands	Nil
Fines	Race 2 – W Potter – $50 – FLOPPA – Rule 268A(1)
Suspensions	Nil
Barrier Information	Nil
Trials/Stand Down	Nil
Late Scratchings	Nil
Adjourned Inquiries	Nil