Phumelela technical and electrical staff conducted extensive testing to establish why the starting stalls opened prematurely without the switch being activated at the Vaal last Thursday.
The starting stalls itself, cabling and batteries were tested and found to be in good working order. By a process of elimination, the switch control gear, which is a sealed unit was also replaced and upon subsequent testing, the starting stalls worked without any problems. It appears that this was the problem.
It is unfortunate that these problems with the starting stalls do occur infrequently, despite the fact that the gates are tested before each race, prior to loading of the field.
The activation of the false start warning siren in Race 9 proved a mystery to the technical staff.
The National Horseracing Authority are investigating how this alarm triggered in the absence of any human intervention by the starter.
Press Release issued by Phumelela Gaming & Leisure
