JRC acts tough

SWIFT action by the Jamaica Racing Commission (JRC) yesterday resulted in immediate suspension from ‘panel duties’ of the stewards responsible for Monday’s disqualification of TEKAPUNT, a decision which caused racegoers to riot, forcing the cancellation of the Heroes Day meet.

In reversing the stewards’ decision, Clovis Metcalfe, JRC chairman, said there were strong arguments on either side. The board’s decision came down to discretion in interpreting Rule 201 on which the stewards had relied to disqualify TEKAPUNT, ridden by Samantha Fletcher, for interfering with third-past-the-post MY SUNSHINE, partnered by Omar Walker.

“We asked the stewards their position and they said there were two interferences. They felt that Fletcher pushed out Walker, kept carrying him wide, which, in their opinion, caused My SUNSHINE not to have gained a better placing, resulting in disqualification, according to Rule 201,” Metcalfe told The Gleaner.

“The board’s view is that too much emphasis was placed on the second infringement, though understandably. They placed more emphasis on Fletcher and not any on the initial incident, which was Walker coming across and pushing her across, which showed she had to ease her mount.

“We thought that was the more egregious of the two incidents. We thought, without that incident, TEKAPUNT would have won by a wider margin. So there wouldn’t have been reason for her to interfere with him,” Metcalfe explained.

Also taken into consideration, Metcalfe pointed out, was Walker not lodging a jockeys’ objection against Fletcher.

In a historic move, Metcalfe revealed that the stewards’ panel on the day would be removed from “front-line duties”, and the full cohort undergo refreshers, including being internationally accredited.

“We are of the view that the panel on the day should be suspended for six months from panel duties, and encourage all the stewards to get international accreditation. We believe the entire stewards’ body should be retrained,” Metcalfe added, saying the process is already in train.

“We have responded to the chief steward of Maryland, Adam Campola, who is coming down to host a refresher and training course for our stewards’ body.”

Campola, who rode 450 winners as a jockey during the 1980s, was also clerk of scales at major Maryland tracks since 2000 before being named by the Michigan Racing Commission as a steward at Great Lakes Downs in 2006.

Metcalfe sought to assure the betting public that the JRC’s decision “was not as clear cut as punters and the public made it out to be”.

“We wish to remind the public that our stewards body are well trained. Two are internationally accredited. The chairman on the day has passed three of four exams in the international-accreditation programme,” he pointed out.

“Also, before the stewards become ‘panel’, they have to undertake practical and verbal training from former stewards Lloyd Cobran and Haldene Johansen, as well as overseas internationally accredited David Loregnard,” said the JRC chairman.