RIDER ADMONISHED

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20075, 23 October 1939, Page 8

RIDER ADMONISHED

SATURDAY’S INCIDENT

MIMICRY RIDDEN OFF

The judicial committee of the Poverty Bay Turf Club to-day concluded the hearing of a charge laid against. Edward Baker, an apprentice rider, following the incident in the Departure Hack Handicap, run on Saturday, when Smiling Personality left the" rails and carried Mimicry right to the outer and spoiled Mimicry’s chances of success in the race. Baker, who rode Smiling Personality, gave evidence that the mare was pulling out from about 3J furlongs from home and that when Mimicry came up on the outside, he thought that having a horse outside Smiling Personality might assist in correcting the tendency. He stated that he did his best to get the mare back on to the rails, but that his efforts were unavailing. He attributed his mount’s behaviour to the fact that Smiling Personality was hanging off to ease a sore leg on the near side.

The rider of Mimicry, O. Evans, stated that while the horses were locked he saw Baker do his best to correct Smiling Personality, the bit being nearly pulled through the horse’s mouth, while he also used his stick lightly on the side of her head. Evans told the judicial committee that the behaviour of Smiling Personality was consistent with his own experience with other horses who hur.g out to ease soreness in the nearside leg. After a searching inquiry, in which evidence was heard from other riders in the race, and from the trainer of Smiling Personality, I. Tinsley, who stated that the mare bad a general tendency to run ofT the rails, the judicial committee decided that Baker’s explanation covered the incident. It was lesolved further that he should be admonished with a view to his giving the rule against foul, careless, or incompetent riding the fullest observance. It wa; considered that inexperience accounted for his failure to check his horse at the bend and let Mimicry clear.