Power Outages Cause Premature End to the Hollywoodbets Durban July

Tigershark wrote:

While we are on this, Bob please could you enquire about the evidence used in Race 1 to award the race to 2. BETULA.

The interference at a critical stage of the race was clear to the lay person so I was taken back when the objection was overruled. The intimation is that the bump took place after the winning line. If this is the case where is the film and photo's to prove this? Or is this going to go into the large book of non-transparent and confusing decisions?

How many cameras, both film & photo are there at and over the finish line at Greyville? With the technology available why are decisions like this left to the subjectivity of the officials on duty?

BTW, I took the exacta so not talking from my pocket.

At the 300m, BETULA (D De Gouveia) was directed outwards to continue its run. Shortly after the finish line ORIENTAL BOUQUET (S Veale) which had showed a tendency to shift out marginally from the crop was bumped inwards by BETULA (D De Gouveia) which shifted in suddenly away from the crop. Mr D C Howells, the Trainer of ORIENTAL BOUQUET (S Veale), placed second, lodged an objection against the winner, BETULA (D De Gouveia), on the grounds of interference in the concluding stages. The Objection Board, when assessing the matter, and giving careful consideration to the Patrol Films from the various angles, formed the opinion that this incident had occurred shortly after the finishing line and that the bump which had formed the basis of the objection had not had a bearing on the result of the race. As a result, the objection was over-ruled and the Judges’ result was allowed to stand. Trainer Howells’ deposit was refunded


I do not know if this is true as I watched the race as shown so I am not privy to the stpes visuals.

Thanks Mr H, but I am willing stake R1 000 to the horse care unit that this cannot be proven by film or photo. It is my opinion that BETULA bumped ORIENTAL BOUQUET just before the line. Instead of myself and thousands of punters being left with the above report, the stewards should show the evidence used and remove all doubt.

I am tired of using the subjective opinion of the stipes without evidence as this leads to just more questions. If they watched the same patrol films as the rest of the racing public then I do not see how they arrive at their conclusion. Show us the patrol films & photos from all angles.

I am also willing to wager that there is no overhead film or photo of the finish line. With the technology available today the above is not a big ask and neither would it cost the earth to install or are they afraid that hard evidence may remove their power of subjective opinion?

Tigershark, I asked the same question and was assured that the ups had come on when the lights went out. 2 lights came on on each pole making it safe to get the race finished if it had gone off during a race. They had been tested before hand. With the objection, IMHO having watched the head on a few times, Oriental Bouquet moved quite away across to Betula who kept pretty straight but I thought she ducked from the shadow and bumped the other filly just short of the post. A hard decision to decide on.

Thanks Craig, however, you prove my point regarding the lights. There has been no public statement and confirmation from GC or the NHA regarding the testing as well as the 4 min safety working on the night. Assuring one individual is not confirmation.

I agree that the objection would have been difficult to adjudicate as both horses drifted in the last 300m however the bump was severe and at a critical stage in the race considering the margin. What we need is film & photo evidence, this remains a subjective ruling in the eyes of the racing public without it.

The operators have a golden opportunity to rectify the image of racing with ownership changing hands. Make the right improvements, remove subjectivity, conflict of interest and improve transparency. Simple things and you will get support from owners and punters.