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At the start, MASTER FEDERAL (S Mosin) shifted in as the Jockey used the whip and crowded the field on his inside, thus causing a chain reaction wherein FELICITY (Dhanu S Deora), BHITSKI (Md. Habeeb), SHAUGHNESSY (Irfan Khan) and DOUBLE BOOST (Shaliyar Khan), were interfered, the worst to be affected were FELICITY and BHITSKI. Jockey S Mosin has been fined Rs.2,000/-. 

Trainer Rajinder was questioned regarding the change in running pattern of HOT BLOOD in this race as compared to its pattern in Race no 15 and 36 where the gelding had raced being in front. The Trainer stated that he had another horse, ABASTOR, running in the same race, and he wanted that horse to hit the front and instructed Jockey Sandeep Rajput to be in 3rd or 4th position. He further added that HOT BLOOD had met with an interference at the start. To another query he stated that HOT BLOOD had won coming from mid field also. Not being satisfied with the explanation, the Trainer has been asked not to change the known running pattern of a horse if he has more than one horse running in a race. Though the Jockey had ridden out his mount, nevertheless, he has been asked to make all efforts to follow the Instructions given to him. 

After the race, MASTER FEDERAL was found to be sound.

General:

RE: ENQUIRY INTO THE RUNNING AND RIDING OF “TRULY MAJESTIC” IN RACE NO 26 –THE GUINDY PLATE (DIV-I) – RUN ON 16TH OCTOBER 2018

The Stewards considered the note from the Stipendiary Stewards and interviewed Trainer VS Parmar and Jockey Gurpreet Singh at their meeting held on 31st October 2018 regarding the captioned subject matter.

At the outset, Trainer Parmar explained that the gelding had come to him in August 2018 and had suffered a setback as he had suspensory issues and had hoof problem as also was dry coated. He added that the gelding had raced now since 24 November 2017 in Race no. 96. 

The Instructions to Jockey Gurpreet Singh were to settle the gelding in 5th or 6th position and to be on the outside as the gelding was drawn 10 and not to put much pressure on the gelding, to ride out hands and heels and use the whip only a few times in the straight as he wanted the gelding to return sound after he race. The Trainer was confronted with these instructions as gelding when raced in earlier two races had been up (in Race no 96 ran 2nd then was 2nd position (though not in his Charge), and when won before that was in front position) and now he had asked the Jockey to be in 5th or 6th position over a 1000 metres race. 

When asked the Trainer stated that the gelding was in work but was not pushed in work as the gelding was a blood vessel case. The Trainer was informed that if the gelding had not run for such a long time, he could have requested for a Mock race. The Trainer was asked if he at any time during the race found the gelding being unsound, in fact the gelding has improved its position whenever it was ridden out by the Jockey and the gelding was sound after the race. 

Jockey Gurpreet Singh was called in and when questioned confirmed the instructions. He added that the gelding was racing after a long gap and he was asked to not to put much pressure. When asked whether he found the gelding being unsound to which he replied in the negative. To a query he stated that the gelding was grabbing he bit and was inclined to go out in Work. To another query, the Trainer stated that he had found the gelding ‘okay’ during the Track Work and had given feedback to the Trainer and the Trainer confirmed that the gelding was sound after the Track Work. 

There was no record of Jockey Gurpreet Singh having worked this horse in the Logbook of the Trainer. 

When asked about his comments on his riding, the Jockey stated that the gelding showed good initial speed of which he was not aware, and he stayed out as he did not want to come in and cause interference to any other horse and he has kept a straight course throughout the race and did not move in or out. In the straight, he rode hands and heels as instructed but the gelding raced in a zig zag manner.
  
The Race was viewed.

It was put to the Jockey that when the gelding had taken a good jump and was placed close to the front runners, why had he travelled wide while negotiating the bend and then his riding effort in the straight has been feeble and indifferent and whenever he has attempted to ride out, the gelding had gained ground on other runners. The Jockey stated that he had ridden the gelding as per the instructions. 

The matter was reported to the Stewards.

ODDS:         6/1         4 ½         5/1        8/1

The Stewards, having heard the submissions made by Jockey Gurpreet Singh and Trainer VS Parmar, and having viewed the video recording of the Race in question, were not satisfied with the explanation tendered by him and held him guilty of Unsatisfactory Riding on his mount TRULY MAJESTIC. In that, when the gelding had taken a good jump and was placed close to the front runners or was in front, though his instructions were to be in 5th or 6th position, he should have ridden his mount from that position and he had travelled wide while negotiating the bend, forcing his mount to travel more and then his riding effort in the straight has been feeble and he had ridden in patches in the straight and whenever he had attempted to ride out, the gelding had gained ground on front runners.  

In view of the above and taking a lenient view in the matter considering that the gelding had run after a long gap, the Stewards decided to fine you a sum of Rs.15,000/-. 

The Stewards, having heard the submissions made by the Trainer and having viewed the video recording of the Race in question, were not satisfied with the explanation tendered by the Trainer and held him guilty of Unsatisfactory Running of TRULY MAJESTIC. In that, he had stated, while giving the Instructions, not to put much pressure on the horse and that he wanted the horse to come back sound from the race, and therefore he had used the Race Track as a training ground. He had admitted that the horse would return sound after the Track Work and was sound after the race in fact the gelding had improved each time that the Jockey had attempted to ride out his mount. He had supported the riding effort of the Jockey when it was apparent that the Jockey had not done his best. Further, his Work Log book had omission of work given by Jockey Gurpreet Singh.    
 
In view of the above and taking a lenient view in the matter considering that the gelding had run after a long gap, the Stewards decided to fine the Trainer a sum of Rs.10,000/-. 

Both, the Trainer and Jockey, were reminded of their right to Appeal. 
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RE: POSITIVE FINDING OF “RANITIDINE” IN THE URINE SAMPLE IN RESPECT OF “NICHE POM” (WINNER) IN RACE NO. 13 – THE PANIPAT PLATE (DIV-II) - RUN ON 1ST OCTOBER 2018: TRAINER AJAY SHARMA
The Stewards at their meeting held on 30th October 2018 considered a Positive Report dated 22.10.18 from QuantiLAB, Mauritius, in respect of the sample of urine taken from NICHE POM (Winner) as stated in the captioned race, which read as under: -
“THE ANALYSIS HAS SHOWN THE PRESENCE OF “RANITIDINE”.
At this meeting, a copy of the Analysis Report was handed over to the Trainer. 
He has been requested to inform to the Veterinary Officer of the Club, in writing, within five days of opening the envelope that identifies the sample i.e. latest by 4th November 2018, whether he wishes the split sample of his charge NICHE POM to go to RASL, Australia, or Hong Kong Jockey Club Lab or LGC, Newmarket (UK), LCH, France for Confirmatory Analysis and also the name of the Witnessing Analyst, if any, failing which the Stewards shall treat the report of the Primary Laboratory as conclusive.