Tuesday, August 7 2012

THE EDITOR: On Emancipation Day, August 1, 2012 punters at Santa Rosa Park who wagered on Angelica Jane in Race 6 were shortchanged because of yet another blunder by the race day stewards.

Angelica Jane was declared to run with a visor, eye shield, tongue tie and Lasix.

When the horse initially left the parade ring and was on its way to the starting gates one of the presiding stewards advised the groom that there was an issue with the equipment.

After some discussions and changes to the equipment the horse eventually made its way to post.

While on its way to the starting gates there were further discussions between the chairman of the stewards and the trainer of the horse in the trainers’ stand concerning the equipment and all issues appeared to have been resolved and the horse was eventually allowed to race.

To the dismay of many, the horse was disqualified from 4th place because of incorrect equipment.

Under the rules of Racing: “When a horse has been declared to run in a hood, blinkers, visor, eye shield or with a tongue strap, or cheek pieces these items must be worn by the horse all the way to the start and during the race and failure to comply with this rule shall result in the horse not being allowed to run.”

The stewards must therefore answer to punters why they allowed the horse to run with the incorrect equipment which they knew about beforehand and then disqualify it to the detriment of those who wagered on the horse in the HI-5.

Seemungal Uttamsingh

Tacarigua