Charge dismissed

Press, 14 October 1986, Page 38

Charge dismissed

Special correspondent Invercargill A charge laid against Courier Flight’s rider, Ali Robinson, at the Winton meeting on Saturday is further evidence that stipendiary stewards will continue to monitor race developments closely in the best interests of racing’s image. Robinson, whose mount was favourite and finished seventh in the nine horse field, was charged with not taking all measures to ensure that his mount was given every chance of winning the race. Although. Robinson was given the benefit of the doubt and the charge was dismissed by the judicial committee, the matter may not necessarily rest there. Mr Jock McCulloch, of Dunedin, the Chief Stipendiary Steward to the New Zealand Racing Conference, who brought the charge against Robinson, can pursue the matter if he sees fit. “I intend to have the notes of evidence forwarded to me and I will study them closely before deciding if I will appeal against the judicial committee’s decision to the Southland District Racing Committee,” he said yesterday. Robinson, in his evidence at the Winton meeting, admitted that he had made a genuine error of judgment in not electing to follow Double Lang from the 600 m. Rather, he opted to wait for a rails run, instead of sending his mount forward with 57 kilograms to lump around the field after suffering an early check.