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Racing NSW Stewards have continued an inquiry commenced on Friday, 30th November 2018 into the tactics adopted on Balansa in the TAB Federal Open Handicap (1300m).

On Friday, 30th November 2018 evidence was taken from licensed jockey Mathew Cahill and licensed co-trainer Keith Dryden.

The Stewards yesterday took further evidence from jockey Mathew Cahill and co-trainer Mr Dryden and considered a written report from Mitchell Reid (Analyst, Betting and Compliance – Racing NSW) with respect to wagering on the event.

Having considered all the tendered evidence with respect to wagering on the event, the Stewards did not identify any integrity issues and noted that all accounts identified as having wagered significant amounts on this event, had operated within their typical wagering parameters.

Licensed jockey Mathew Cahill was found guilty of the following charge under AR135(b);

AR135(b) The rider of every horse shall take all reasonable and permissible measures throughout the race to ensure that his horse is given full opportunity to win or to obtain the best possible place in the field

The details of the charge being that licensed jockey Mathew Cahill, rider of 4th placed Balansa in Race 7, the TAB Federal Open Handicap (1300m) at the Canberra Racing Club race meeting conducted at Thoroughbred Park on Friday, 30th November 2018, failed to take all reasonable and permissible measures on that gelding throughout the said race to ensure that Balansa was given full opportunity to win or obtain the best possible place in the field in that by reason of all or part of the following particulars;

1) That approaching the 600m, when positioned approximately four lengths behind Mercurial Lad and three lengths behind Levee Bank, he failed to ride with sufficient vigour and purpose to attempt to improve his position when it when it was reasonable and permissible for him to do so.

2) That leaving the 600m, he continued to fail to ride his mount with sufficient vigour and purpose to improve his position and remained racing one off the rail, when it was reasonable and permissible for him to shift out and place his mount under pressure to follow Levee Bank which commenced to improve three-wide. Such failure resulting in Ons Vier then shifting in behind Levee Bank and then preventing him from improving his position for some distance thereafter.

3) That between the 500m and 400m, he failed to ride with sufficient vigour and purpose to shift out and attempt to improve into a run to the outside of Mercurial Lad and to the inside of Seeblume when it was reasonable and permissible for him to have placed his mount under pressure and improve between those runners at all relevant stages.

4) That after obtaining clearing running between Ons Vier and Seeblume near the 250m, between the 250m and 50m he failed to ride with sufficient vigour and purpose when it was reasonable and permissible for him to do so.

Mathew Cahill’s license to ride in races was suspended for a period of 6 weeks to commence on Monday 7th January 2019 and to expire on Monday 18th February 2018 on which day he may ride.
Mathew Cahill was advised of his appeal rights.

Relevant Rule
AR135(b) The rider of every horse shall take all reasonable and permissible measures throughout the race to ensure that his horse is given full opportunity to win or to obtain the best possible place in the field.
(d) Any person who in the opinion of the Stewards has breached, or was a party to breaching, any portion of this rule may be penalised, and the horse concerned may be disqualified.