The National Horseracing Authority has undertaken to remedy any ambiguity which may have arisen, after a filly was reported to have gone down short to post, with no inspection or other action being taken at the start.
In our Short Heads insert (SP 2439) we raised concerns from punters after Watsonia had been reported to have gone to post short in the first at Fairview on Friday 23 February. She ran a 6,25 length fourth.
Click on the image below if you haven’t read Short Heads
Jockey Greg Cheyne told the Sporting Post earlier this week that Watsonia had shown no signs of being short either to post or in running.
Click here – see Greg Cheyne response in comments section at base of editorial
What concerned us was that Greg Cheyne had confirmed that no official had made any reference to this comment at the start and that the filly was not trotted to test for soundness. This left the observation hanging in the air and made something of a mockery of the reference in the official Stipes Report
Greg Cheyne – rode Watsonia
NHA Racing Control Executive Arnold Hyde responded to say that ‘went down short’ is an observation that the Veterinary Surgeons record in their personal Veterinary journals, which is used to update the database and records of horses presented to race.
He added that horses travel to other Racing Centres and this history, and other information, is used when they consider if a horse is ‘fit to race’.
“With regards the episode in question, Watsonia would have been observed as having been short on proceeding to the start, but would have warmed up sufficiently to race in the opinion of the Veterinary professional on duty. The matter has been attended to in order to prevent any ambiguity in future,” he concluded.
