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This is on the Sporting Life site:-
“David Pipe was fined £1000 after failing to comply with a request from the stewards at Taunton.
The Pond House handler’s Imperial Harry was sent off the 2-1 favourite for the SIS Handicap Hurdle but having never been better than mid-division, he was pulled up before the second-last.
Officials at the course requested the horse be tested, but connections refused to trot him up – resulting in a four-figure fine.
Stipendiary steward William Nunneley said: “The stable-lass of Imperial Harry, who was favourite and pulled up, refused to trot the horse up when asked by the veterinary officer without getting permission from the head-lad or the trainer.
“Mr Pipe was warned in December in a letter from the British Horseracing Authority that this practice was unacceptable and that he had to comply with the requirements of Rule 221 that deal with instructions from the stewards.
“In light of this incident we decided to fine him £1000.”[/color:3nnkicwe]
Interesting – the question that springs to mind is why?
Not the fine but Pipe’s apparent action, it doesn’t seem to make any sense.
The only defence I can see is that if the horse was injured, trotting him up wasn’t going to do the injury much good.
There is obviously some history behind this decision.
Colin
As I read it, LGR, the test was to be be trotting him up, but it isn’t clear from that report.
Colin.
The only defence I can see is that if the horse was injured, trotting him up wasn’t going to do the injury much good.
There is obviously some history behind this decision.
Colin
But surely if the horse was injured, the stewards would have accepted the decision by the stable lass not to trot the horse up. It sounds like she just completely refused to do so without offering an explanation.
Pipe had some well fancied and well backed horses today that ran too good to be true. Imperial Harry and Seven Is My Number were very well backed close to the off and travelled well within the race before blowing up. Our Vic on the other hand simply didn’t go and was tailed off with a circuit to go before running on slightly.
Another weird day in the life of the Pipes.
Mike
I would have thought the vet would have examined the horse before asking it to be trotted up, so if the horse was injured it would have been apparent.
From my reading of the report it appears the lass had been told by her employers not to comply unless told to by Pipe or the travelling head lad.
The comments also implies this isn’t the first time this has happened.
I’m trying to get hold of a full copy of the inquiry which may give a fuller explanation, however it isn’t available yet.
….but she wouldn’t have made that decision herself!!!
Colin
Sorry Colin, she wouldn’t have made what decision?
Not to trot the horse.
Thanks DB. But apparantly it was according to the report as she didn’t get "permission from the head-lad or trainer". If it wasn’t here decision not to trot the horse up, who made the decision?
Mike
The point being MM that she shouldn’t need to ask permission.
If the vet or stewards want the horse trotted up it should not be a point for discussion.
Rule 221B(ii) states
“Every person shall comply with the instructions of the Stewards of a Meeting or any instruction of the HRA issued pursuant to Rule 1A(xiv)”[/color:15fma272]
That seems pretty unegotiable to me
No, Mikky, it was to be the decision of either David Pipe or the travelling head lad TO trot the horse up. As neither told the stable lass to comply with the stewards’ request, she did nothing. Whether that means they told her not to do as asked, or didn’t inform her on way or another, we don’t know.
The point being MM that she shouldn’t need to ask permission.
If the vet or stewards want the horse trotted up it should not be a point for discussion.
Lol, I get it now – but this is why I made my original post on this thread in response to Colin saying the only defence was the horse was injured.
If the lass just refused to trot the horse up then surely there is no defence and she was out of order. If she refused to trot the horse up because she thought it was injured then the vet would have had a look and reported to the stewards why it wasn’t trotted up. As this wasn’t the case, then I stand by what I said in response to Colin when I said surely the horse couldn’t have been injured.
Though, I admit I could have completely lost the plot here
Mike
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