Can Stewards' Inquiry alter the race result?
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One of the most feared things at a racecourse for any punter lucky enough to have won on the race just run is when a Stewards’ Inquiry is called.
Often, you will hear an audible groan around the racecourse as punters begin to wonder if their winnings could be in jeopardy.
So what is a steward’s inquiry, and what is decided upon in these meetings? What are the possible outcomes that can be decided upon?
In this post, we will explain all that and more.
But first, let’s answer an important but infrequently asked question: Who are the stewards sitting in on the inquiry?
Who are the Stewards?
In horse racing, stewards are the people who effectively officiate at a race meeting. Their primary aim is to ensure that no rules are broken in a race and to adjudicate in circumstances when a rule may, or may not, have been broken.
A specialist team of officials oversees race meetings. They are led by the Chief Steward (sometimes known as the Stipendiary Steward), who is paid by the British Horseracing Authority (BHA). Other officials may be paid, or can also be volunteers.
Stewards are people who have good standing within the horse racing industry. They are expected to understand and apply the rules of racing fairly and without bias.
Their main task as a group of officials is to review each race of the meeting to ensure that the race has been run in accordance with the rules of racing.
If the race has been run in accordance with those rules, the result will be confirmed and stand as the runners finished the race.
However, if the stewards see clear or possible evidence of rule-breaking or another infringement in the race, or suspect it has taken place, then a steward’s inquiry will be announced to review the race in question.
What happens in a Stewards’ Inquiry?
If a stewards’ inquiry is called, then one or more incidents in a race may need to be reviewed to ascertain whether the horse or rider was infringing upon the rules.
In an inquiry, the Stipendiary Steward will speak to the jockey and/or trainer and then present evidence of one or more possible rule breaks to the panel. The team of stewards will review the evidence and determine whether a potential rule break has occurred.
Four camera angles are available at every race meeting, enabling the panel to view any incident from several angles and rule on whether there was an infringement.
Once a decision has been made, the enquiry ruling will be finalised and announced to the crowd. Additionally, any changes to the race result will be implemented before the final result of the race is confirmed.
What are the reasons why a Stewards’ Inquiry may be initiated?
There are three rule infractions that could trigger a stewards’ inquiry. They include:
If one jockey has ridden his ride and has impeded one or more other riders in the race. This is commonly known as “interference”.
If a jockey is suspected of not giving their mount a fair and realistic ride based on the quality of the horse in question compared to the rest of the field. This is known as “being ridden on merit”.
- Excessive or illegal use of the whip by the jockey.
- Other reasons why a stewards’ inquiry may be called include:
- At the request of a trainer, owner or jockey involved in the race.
- In the case of a potential dead-heat between two or more horses to decide the winner.
Who can call a Stewards’ Inquiry?
It is a little-known fact that a Stewards’ Inquiry can be requested by a number of different people at the racecourse.
The stewarding team can call an inquiry should they feel a rule has been broken. However, an inquiry can be requested by anybody with an interest in the race in question. Such as the jockey, owner or trainer of a horse.
Can a Stewards’ Inquiry alter the outcome of a race?
Yes, but generally it is rare for the stewards to promote or demote a horse from their finishing position in a race.
In Great Britain and Ireland, stewards are aware that within most races, whether that is flat or over jumps, a certain amount of jostling will take place.
Therefore, the standard for an inquiry to rule that interference caused a horse to lose the race is very high and these changes are not common. Similarly, the instances of a jockey being accused of not riding a horse on merit are also infrequent.
Evidence is usually required to be unequivocal for a stewards’ inquiry to overturn the result of the race and alter the finishing positions. Usually the interference has to be blatant, obvious and to have ensured that the horse affected could not win the race (when, the likelihood is, that they would have done).
However, in other parts of the world, the bar for interference in a race is set somewhat lower and as such, inquiries in other countries can see race results changed more frequently.
What are the rulings that can be taken by a Stewards’ Inquiry?
In addition to changing the outcome of races, a stewards’s inquiry can impose other penalties on jockeys for rule infringements.
In situations where a jockey is judged to require a penalty, they can be suspended from racing for a set period of time (such as seven days). However, jockeys have the right of appeal for any suspensions awarded and these are heard by an independent body.
To summarise, a stewards’ inquiry is used to determine whether there has been a rules infringement in a race or to determine the outcome of a very close race. It has the power to alter the official finishing order of a race if it is deemed appropriate and to impose sanctions on jockeys deemed to have fallen foul of the rules.
They are responsible for upholding the integrity of horse racing and as such, play a key role within the horseracing industry.
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