Australian Harness Racing Rules 175-180

Objections and Protests
 

Please Note:   All forms mentioned in the Rules are available from State Controlling Bodies.  

Please Note:  On 1st March 2008 Harness Racing Australia Inc (HRA) replaced Australian Harness Racing Council Inc (AHRC) as the organisation's name.  All AHRC's formal structures, rules, regulations, policies, processes etc., now pertain to HRA, and any reference to Australian Harness Racing Council Inc, AHRC, Council or The Council shall mean Harness Racing Australia Inc or HRA.
 

Lodgment

175.  (1)  A person who questions the eligibility of a horse to start in a race may lodge an objection with the Stewards.

(2)  A person upon coming into possession of information which might establish a horse’s ineligibility to race shall immediately lodge an objection with the Stewards.

(3)  A person who fails to comply with sub-rule (2) is guilty of an offence.

(4)  For the purpose of this rule "person" means a person licensed under these rules, an official of the club conducting the meeting, an owner of a horse competing in the race, or such owner’s authorised agent.

176.  (1)  A person who considers that a horse is not entitled to be placed in a race as the judge has decided, may lodge a protest with the All clear steward.

(2)  A protest can relate only to an incident which occurred during the running of a race.

(3)  A protest must state the grounds.

(4)  A protest must be made before the declaration of all clear.

(5)  For the purposes of this rule "person" means a steward, the starter of the race, a connection or driver of any horse competing in the race or an authorised agent.

(6)  Where a protest has been lodged in accordance with this rule and:-

(a)  The grounds of the protest are that a horse or its driver has caused interference to another horse or its driver and the Stewards are of the opinion that the horse interfered with would have finished ahead of the first mentioned horse had such interference not occurred they shall place the first mentioned horse immediately after the horse interfered with.

(b)  The grounds of the protest do not include a claim of interference, the Stewards shall dismiss the protest unless they are of the opinion that the horse lodging the protest would have finished ahead of the horse against which the protest has been lodged in which case they shall place the second mentioned horse after the first mentioned horse.

177.  (1)  A person may after the declaration of all clear lodge with the Stewards an objection against the judge's placings in a race.

(2)  An objection must be lodged within 7 days of the race.

(3)  An objection does not affect settlement of bets or wagers.

(4)  An objection cannot relate to an incident which occurred during the running of a race.

(5)  For the purposes of this rule "person" means a person licensed under these rules, an official of the club conducting the meeting, an owner of a horse competing in the race, or an owner’s authorised agent. 

Announcement and inquiry

178.  (1)  Upon lodgment of a protest the Stewards shall immediately make a public announcement of the nature of the protest and the horses involved and proceed with an inquiry.

(2)  At the inquiry the owners or authorised agent and the trainers and drivers of the horses involved are entitled to be present.

(3)  Persons entitled to be present may address the Stewards, but may question witnesses only with the Stewards’ permission.

(4)  The Stewards may disqualify any horse from the race or give it a lower placing and otherwise decide the protest in such manner as they see fit.

Payment of stakes and bets

179.  If a protest is upheld, stakes and bets shall be paid in accordance with the Stewards' decision.

Frivolous protest or objection

180.  A person who lodges a frivolous protest or objection is guilty of an offence.

 
PLEASE NOTE:
Rules Effective from 1st September 1999 (State Controlling Bodies must adopt)
Rules Approved - 16th March 1999 (AHRC Meeting)
 

back to top