you
The QRIC have reacted admirably to the embarrassing balls up by their Stewards at the Townsville greyhounds on Tuesday night.
Well sort of anyway.
No, not really.
They’ve just made it worse.
QRIC Chief Greyhound Steward Alex Kitching has front footed the issue by saying an investigation has been launched into the Rake Affair, and that he has frozen prize money from the race until he works out what the hell to do.
Given his apparent confusion about the application of the rules to the bizarre situation that occurred, we may be waiting some time for an outcome of his inquiry, although I can tell you the result right now.
Nothing.
There is nothing at all that Kitching can do, and that he does not already know this is a sad indictment on his fitness to hold the Chief Steward’s position.
To make it worse, by withholding the prizemoney he is breaking his own rules.
Once all clear is signalled the race is over.
R62 All Clear
(1) When the finishing positions in an Event have been decided by the judge, the first four (4)
greyhounds and any others as directed by the Stewards shall be identified prior to the Stewards
causing the “All Clear” to be announced.
(2) The Stewards may cause the All Clear to be announced for the winner, or the winner and
second place-getter after the judge has determined the finishing positions for the winner or the
winner and the second place getter and prior to the judge determining the finishing positions of
the remaining greyhounds.
The placings are the placings, and they can only be corrected if the Judge, in consultation with the Stewards, corrects a mistake in those placings.
Unless the Judge does so the prizemoney is paid out on the positions the dogs finished in at the declaration of all clear, and even if the Judge does change the placings all bets stand.
R63 Correction after All Clear
(1) The judge, in consultation with the Stewards, or the Stewards, may correct a mistake after the
All Clear signal has been announced.
(2) A correction made after All Clear is announced shall not have any effect on betting
transactions, which shall be settled on the basis of the finishing positions existing at the time
that “All Clear” was announced.
(3) The entitlement of prize money (save as otherwise provided for in these Rules) shall be
determined on the basis of the finishing positions existing at the time that the All Clear was
announced unless corrected pursuant to sub-rule (1).
The Judge cannot change the placings in Rake 8.
There was no mistake in the determination of the finish order, so there is nothing to correct.
Rule 56 cited by the Greyhound Recorder does not apply.
It relates to decisions made before the all clear is signalled.
Once it is, then rule 56 is out the window.
Sub-sections (4) and (5) of the rule make this obvious.
(4) Where the Stewards are considering whether to declare an Event to be a False Start or a No
Race, or a greyhound a Non-Starter, they shall cause a warning signal to be given and/or a
public announcement to be made.
(5) Where the Stewards have declared an Event to be a False Start or a No Race or a greyhound to
be a Non-Starter, they shall cause a warning signal to be given and/or a public announcement
to be made.
You can’t cause a warning signal to be given two or more days after the race, and it’s too late to make a public announcement, other than by issuing an illogical statement unsupported by the rules that announces that you don’t actually know them (the rules), even though you are the Chief Steward.
FFS – it would be laughable if it wasn’t so sad.
Here’s me a tri-code racing writer telling the blokes in charge of enforcing the rules of greyhound racing how they actually work.
While I am at it, I will Mr Kitching another piece of sage advice.
You can’t lawfully withhold the prizemoney Sir.
The balls up was all your crew’s, and had nothing whatsoever to do with the winning connections.
You can’t penalise them for your own mistakes.
This an employment inquiry, not a racing inquiry into the results of Rake 8.
Sadly for him, only the starter can be disciplined or sanctioned for what went on, or didn’t.
Once the dogs get to the boxes they are in the starters hands, and the Stewards responsibility is absolved.
That means the bloke in the shirt, tie and strides bears no fault for the rake debacle, only the starter does.
It might seem unfair, but – as they say in the movies – “Dem’s da rules”.
Maybe one day the Stewards might learn them.
R51 Starting procedures
(1) No person shall hinder or attempt to hinder a starter from carrying out his duties.
(2) Events shall be started by the appointed starter.
(3) The starter may give all such orders and take all such measures considered necessary to ensure
a fair start.
(4) When the greyhounds arrive at the starting boxes for an Event they shall be deemed to be in the
starter’s hands.