Bangalore |  Mysore |  Mumbai |  Pune |  Hyderabad |  Kolkata |  Delhi  
Indian Classics |  Profiles  |  Fixtures |  Video |  Archives |  Public Pulse |  In & Around |  Specials |  International |  Home  
Loading....
in   
 
Review    Send comment   Send E-mail   Print the page

Strange ruling by Stewards following crowd trouble

By: Frankel   November 23 , 2014
   

The Stewards of RWITC are no strangers to courting controversy. Quite often they have taken questionable decisions to appease the public. It just required a handful of race goers to cause disruption to racing resulting in the cancellation of the last race of Sunday. A section of race goers protested against jockey Sandesh`s handling of Congressional in the 1600 metres Rotary Club of Bombay Queens Necklace Cup, a race for horses rated 40 to 66.

It all started with a punter reportedly hurling abuse at Sandesh when he was returning to the unsaddling enclosure on Congressional and hitting him on his back. The jockey is reported to have tried to give him back in the same manner. That punter gathered more people to support him and gate crashed into the weighing room and barged into the committee room. The RWITC Stewards wanted to pacify the agitated punters who believed that Sandesh had tanked the race and announced that there will be a Stewards enquiry. The punters sat on the path which leads horses from the paddock to the race track and horses were sent from the back side to the starting gate for the eighth race. The punters then moved to the race track resulting in the cancellation of the last race of the day. The Stewards then announced that Sandesh has been suspended pending enquiry to disperse the crowd.

The ruling by Stewards is against principles of natural justice and fair play and their action is sure to put them to ridicule. We are in a democratic country where there are accepted norms to be followed. Anybody who is to be suspended has to be issued a charge sheet and a detailed enquiry has to be conducted before any sentence is pronounced. However in this instance, the Stewards gave instant justice even it meant to please the public and rescinding the same in their next meeting. Such acts by the Stewards in the past have resulted in emboldening the punters to demand quite often for the races to be declared null and void. By suspending the jockey pending enquiry, they have pre-judged the issue and they have brought pressure on themselves by their action.

Sandesh is said to have got a threatening call and the jockey has reportedly filed a police complaint. The Stewards of RWITC need to address the issue of safety of professionals who are targets of disgruntled punters. There was an attempt to beat Martin Dwyer two years ago when he was returning to the unsaddling enclosure. Antia was manhandled by a punter at Pune. Now Sandesh. These are distrubing trends indeed.

The odds on highly rated Congressional drifted out in the betting ring and the odds on Rule Downunder crashed which possibly gave room for suspicion. The weight of money by the connections more often than not determines the odds and it is possible that since the big made horse was having a lead up race for the 2000 Guineas, he may have been little underdone and this could be the season why there was wide belief that the horse may not win. In the race itself, Congressional who was drawn wide was unable to get into a favourable position as there was no chance for the horse to get to the inside and Sandesh dropped the horse back to get the rails run. Rule Downunder raced just ahead of Congressional. The latter came through the shortest way home and essayed a strong challenge but Rule Downunder proved the fitter horse as he pulled away for a narrow win. Top Commander was third.

  
  
Nothing went right for Sandesh as he found himself on the losing horse War Command in the 1400 metres Rotary Club of Bombay Charities Cup, a race for horses rated 60 to 86. Polydences led from the start and War Command`s desperate attempts to catch up with the front runner failed as the weight difference surely told on the favourite. Polydences kicked on to win from late finishing Your Royal Majesty who finished with a big run edging out War Command for the second spot and finishing a shade less than a length behind the winner.

Sandesh was on the second best horse in the 1200 metres Rotary Club of Bombay Pier-Kryfs Cup, a race for horses rated 80 and above. Sandesh took Mint Approach on a start to finish mission and was pressured strongly by Dynamo in the final furlong. Mint Approach put up stiff resistance before Dynamo gained ascendancy. Mouna Kea was third. The field was reduced to three from five as Rosie Sunshine and Mykonos were withdrawn from the fray.

Burlesque and Zabisco were the preferred ones in the 1800 metres Wockhardt Hospital and Rotary Club of Bombay Worli Cup, a race for horses rated 20 to 46. But to the dismay of punters, both these horses failed to make the cut as long shot Dance Debonaire made a successful start to finish attempt and held off the late flourish of Dixie Delight who came from a long way back. Fleetwood Mac was third.

Classic winner Maisha had just two participants to take care of in the 1400 metres Maharaja of Morvi Trophy, a race for three year olds only. Jockey Ashish allowed Zodiac to lead on sufferance before gradually getting Maisha to overhaul the front runner with minimum of effort.
Dallas Todywalla trained Golden Belle who had the benefit of a race run at Pune won the 1200 metres Rotary Club of Ambarnath Cup, a race for two year olds, having the race in control from the word `go`. Costa Del Sol showed some flourish towards the close by covering lot of ground in the straight and finishing a suggestive second.

Altaf Hussain trained Divine Wish swamped the opposition in the 1400 metres Rotary Clubs of Bombay, Bombay Bayview and Bombay Peninsula Charity Cup, a race for horses in the rated lowest category by over nine lengths. Leontine finished second best.

 
 
  Post your comments   E-mail   Print
Total Comments : 0       Be first to add comments to this article !!
Top
   
'


Live Results - Delhi, March 28 2024
 
Disclaimer: The views expressed in Reviews and Analysis depict the personal perspective of the authors only. The website does not subscribe to or endorse any of the same and is not responsible for adverse consequences. Every effort is made to provide accurate information, we are not responsible for any discrepancies that are beyond our control.
© 2008 Racing Pulse. All Rights Reserved. A Racingpulse Holdings Venture