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Racing NSW Stewards today continued an inquiry which was adjourned on Saturday, 11 November 2023 into Heavelon Van Der Hoven’s riding of 4^th placed Oakeys Choice in Race 4 (Goulburn Hay Supplies Benchmark 50 Handicap, 1000m) at the Goulburn & District Race Club race meeting conducted at Goulburn on that day.

Further evidence was taken from jockey Van Der Hoven and Luke Musson, trainer of Oakeys Choice. A betting report into the race, prepared by Harrison Smithers (Racing NSW Betting & Form Analyst), which was tendered into evidence, did not reveal any integrity concerns in respect to betting activity on the race.

Mr Van Der Hoven was found guilty of a charge under AR129(2) which states:

AR129(2) A rider must take all reasonable and permissible measures throughout the race to ensure that the rider’s horse is given full opportunity to win or to obtain the best possible place in the field.

 The details of the charge being that as the rider of Oakeys Choice in Race 4 (Goulburn Hay Supplies Benchmark 50 Handicap, 1000m) at the Goulburn & District Race Club race meeting conducted at Goulburn on Saturday, 11 November 2023, licensed jockey Van Der Hoven failed to take all reasonable and permissible measures throughout the race to ensure that Oakeys Choice was given full opportunity to win or obtain the best possible place in the field by reason of one or more of the following particulars;

1. From the 900m to near the 600m, when racing at the rear of the field approximately 3½ lengths behind Rare Beauty and Watermelon Wine, he failed to ride his mount with sufficient purpose and vigour to improve its position to be closer to the field, when it was both reasonable and permissible for him to do so.
2. From near the 600m to near the 350m he rode Oakeys Choice with insufficient vigour and purpose to improve his mount’s position when it was both reasonable and permissible for him to do so.

Penalty

Having given consideration to the evidence and the circumstances of the breach, the Stewards were of the view that the starting point for penalty should be a six-week suspension of his licence to ride in races.

However, given that this was Heavelon Van Der Hoven’s first breach of the Rule, the Stewards determined that the appropriate penalty is that his licence to ride in races be suspended for a period of four weeks, deferred to commence on Wednesday, 20 December 2023 and to expire on Wednesday, 17 January 2023, on which day he may ride.