A clerical error and a dropped ball over an equipment checklist at Fairview has ended well with the Stipes taking no action against the trainer – who it appears, was mostly in the right in the first instance.
Assistant trainer Dean Smith, with Andrew Smith and jockey Craig Zackey (Pic – Pauline Herman)
On 30 December, the Gavin Smith-trained Oliver Twist ran in the Fairview second race, a 1600m Maiden Plate.
The start of the race was delayed as there was confusion over the fact that Oliver Twist had apparently proceeded to the start incorrectly equipped.
A set of cheek pieces were sent to the start and fitted to the gelding, causing a lengthy delay.
The Stipes duly opened an investigation and it was established that in the communication that was shared by the National Racing Bureau, there was a clerical error that had occurred, whereby the cheek pieces that were removed by Assistant Trainer Dean Smith after final acceptances were erroneously put back on the system.
Interestingly, the Stipes, who somehow missed the physical absence of the equipment in the parade ring, then insisted that assistant trainer Smith get the handler back from the start to fetch the cheek pieces and run Oliver Twist with them.
Smith had no choice, despite the error and the stable’s decision to not use them, to abide by the Stipes’ insistence and run the gelding in the equipment.
Despite the administrative challenges in the background, Oliver Twist duly won in the end.
The Stipes confirmed that after taking the facts into consideration, they decided to take no further action. That part makes sense.
