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After being stalled, NATALIAN EXPRESS (App.S.Mosin) started kicking the rear gates. The filly was taken out and examined by the Club’s V.O. and found to have suffered abrasion at both the hocks and cut injuries on the left hind fetlock. As such, the filly was withdrawn before coming under the Starter’s Order. Trainer Sanjay Kolse has been asked to give the filly more gate practice and show her to the satisfaction of the Starter at morning starting trials, before next accepting to race.

Trainer Altaf Hussain has been fined Rs.3,000/- for declaring a Foreign Jockey to ride FOUR STAR GENERAL in this race where he was ineligible to ride.

Jockey Amyn Merchant (CALYPSO QUEEN) reported that his mount stumbled at the start.

Soon after the start, CEASARINA (App.B.Nikhil) shifted in sharply due to which AMINISTRATE (N.S.Parmar) shied away and then took the running of STARSONBOARD (J.Pradeep) who clipped the heels of CEASARINA and stumbled, due to which STARRY OCEAN (S.P.Ranjane) who was following, clipped the heels of STARSONBOARD and stumbled.   After having heard App.B.Nikhil in the matter, the Stipendiary Stewards decided to suspend his Apprentice Jockey’s license for 23^rd January, 2014 for careless riding (permitted to ride work/mock race).

An objection was lodged by Jockey C.S.Jodha, rider of  SHYGIRL (Placed Second) against the colours of  FEODOR (Malcolm Kharadi, Placed First). The reason being, ZABARWAN (Akshay) drifted out at the top of the straight and caused a severe check to SHYGIRL and took the filly wide whereby  he could not ride out and lost by a short-head to the common owner’s horse FEODOR or else he would have easily won the race.

The Stewards heard the Jockeys concerned as also the Stipendiary Stewards  who were of the opinion that the riding of Jockey Akshay did not merit disqualification of ZABARWAN since the horse hung out badly, as such the provision in Rule 160 (ii) (b) was not applicable in this case. The Stewards having considered all the submissions made and having viewed the race and deliberating the matter, decided to overrule the objection.

The Stewards after the last race interviewed Jockey Akshay for careless riding on his mount ZABARWAN and having heard him and viewing the video recording of the race, were not satisfied with the explanation tendered by him. However, since the Sr.V.O. reported that the horse had returned sore after the race, they decided to give Jockey Akshay the benefit of the doubt.  Jockey Akshay was warned that if a horse is hanging during the race, he must make every effort to correct the horse in the future.

After the race, ZABARWAN and STARRY OCEAN were found to be sore by the right fore leg and left fore leg respectively. Both the horses have to be passed fit by the Club’s VO before next accepting to race.