I have been swayed in my view that there is one rule for the top drivers and another for the battlers and you only have to look at who has been suspended lately and the facts don't lie. I have regularly bagged amateur drivers but the rules still should be consistent no matter who you are
I have 3 almost identical incidents:
#1 The High Profile Driver
Think we all can remember the Natalie Rasmussen drama when driving Make No Promises when she left the pegs at the top of the straight and let the stablemate (Elzar) through who went on to win the race. It was shocking and happened in a group 3 race so the penalty should be more severe if anything. The replay can be seen here and the horses in question are leading and 3 pegs when the vision starts. She was found to have no case to answer.
http://www.harness.org.au/video/qld/GCC26060902.wmv
#2 The Battler
The Boris Devcic suspension. This deserved time without a doubt but there isn't a lot different compared to the Team Dixon scenario. Got 6 months for the drive here on Seymour when stablemate Seymour Lights was on his back.
http://www.harness.org.au/video/vic/MLC24010701.wmv
#3 The case to be heard
Tonight at Bendigo in race 4 there were stablemates #1 Boro Magic and #10 Heezabit Rusty and HR went around to lead with stablemate on its back and was in all sorts of trouble on the turn then appeared to shift its ground to allow the stablemate through to win the race. Craig Northcott is the driver in question and is a battler so don't like his chances.
http://www.harness.org.au/video/vic/BNC12061003.wmv
As I alluded to, I don't like Craig Northcott's chances to get off. Maybe if he was the trainer/driver of a multiple InterDominion winning horse who was being used to market the exact carnival the episode occurred in it may be a different story...... Seems to happen in all walks of life so why should Harness Racing be any different.
To further support this viewpoint, I just went back over past stewards reports (only for 2 wks and in Victoria solely so not a great representative sample I will grant you) but what I found was amazing.
The figures clearly show that either:
(a) experienced drivers are treated differently to inexperienced ones
OR
(b) we have a major issue with the competency and the training given to our inexperienced drivers
These were the only suspensions handed out for the fortnight ending June 11, 2010 and I am sure you will notice the trend which supports my argument that the soft targets seemingly cop it from the stewards and the big boys get off. The list is:
Tim McGuigan 2 wks
Michael Sullivan 4 wks
Phillip Percy 2 wks
Robin Leonard 2 wks
Derrick Kraft 2 wks
Kate Attard 2 wks
Adam Richardson 2 wks
Amanda McHenry 4 wks
Alex Douglas 8 weeks
Brady Jones 5 wks
Shane Hoban 4 wks
Steve Austin 4 wks
Ellen Tormey 2 wks
Peter Hornsby 2 wks
Boris Devcic 4 wks
Barry Turner 2 wks
Sam Flourentzou 4 wks
Not too many regular metro drivers there and as I said before, we either have a major training (and therefore OH&S) issue or there are 2 rules in place.
If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck then its a ....
