THE SUNSHINE COAST NEWSPAPER COLUMN - THERE ARE JUST NO EASY GIGS IN RACING

By Graham Potter | Sunday, September 15, 2013

Graham Potter writes a weekly column for the Sunshine Coast daily. Due to demand from those having trouble accessing the paper these columns are now also published on HRO courtesy of the Sunshine Coast daily

Watching Robert Heathcote chasing around mid-meeting trying to finalise a rider for his runner Big Decision in the seventh race at Eagle Farm two Saturdays ago again highlighted the trials and tribulations connections so often have to go through before they finally settle into their seat to watch their horse run.

Sure this was one out of left field and, while the situation Heathcote found himself in was not of his own making, it did need a swift resolution on his part before Big Decision could take its place in the field.

This situation was set-up by the fact that Glen Colless, who was originally engaged to ride Big Decision, was injured at track-work and was unable to take the mount. Then Ryan Wiggins, who was engaged to replace Colless, had taken ill during the meeting and was thus unable to fulfil his engagement … hence the Heathcote dilemma.

While fate had seemingly dealt Heathcote a poor hand, the racing rule governing such a situation only served to further frustrate the multi-premiership winning trainer.
Where possible, the jockey substitution rule is generally applied in a manner whereby a senior rider must be replaced by a senior rider and an apprentice must be replaced by an apprentice … unless circumstances dictate otherwise.

The rule in its simplest interpretation is designed to protect punter’s interests and to prevent an open season on jockey substitutions, a practise which could allow some devious manipulation.

While fully understanding that a strict rule is often necessary to help foster the integrity of the sport, Heathcote still believed he had a point to argue with regard to how the general execution of the substitution rule did not always produce the intended result.

The point was made that there is a marked discrepancy in the ability of the different senior riders present on any given day and, because of that, by merely replacing one with another, as per the prescribed process, you might actually compromise the horse’s chance more than safeguard it.

In other words there would be occasions where a top apprentice, where available, would be preferred choice of the trainer, the horse’s connections as well as the general public as a substitute for a senior rider.

Heathcote called that a ‘common-sense’ argument and, for many, that is what prevailed in this case as champion apprentice Tegan Harrison finally got the nod for the late call-up on Big Decision.

This example only serves to highlight the difficulty of both rule-making and the application of rules in horse-racing.

A discretionary rule can be useful in that each case can be treated on its own merits. It can also be undesirable in that these decisions can invoke debate and dissent.

On the other hand, a hard and fast rule is much like an immovable object.

Participants have little room for argument if they are faced with this category of ruling. It is not always palatable but at least if a ruling is either black or white there is a clear-cut outcome and that’s probably better than getting lost in an argument about fifty shades of grey.

The bottom line is that whether you are behind a desk or out in the field there is just no easy gig in racing.

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