Racing Victoria stewards have issued show-cause notices to connections as to why the 29 horses ridden by apprentice Wiremu Pinn when his claim was incorrectly calculated should not be disqualified.
It was discovered last week that the New Zealand apprentice, who is on a three-month loan to Cranbourne-based trainer Mick Kent, had been claiming three kilograms in the metropolitan area between May 27 and June 12, before it was later revealed he should have been eligible only for a 2kg claim.
In a statement provided on Tuesday afternoon, RV said that under the rules of racing, stewards held a discretion as to whether a horse should be disqualified when an apprentice had taken a claim he or she was not entitled to.
“Prior to making their final decision as to whether to exercise their discretion under AR 143(13)(b), stewards have today written to the trainers and managing owners of all 29 horses ridden by Mr Pinn in the period in question inviting them to show cause in writing as to why their horse ought not be disqualified from the race,” the release said.
“The stewards’ determination has not yet been arrived at and will ultimately be taken in the context of the circumstances as a whole, an application and interpretation of the Rules of Racing, and having taken into account each submission from respective trainers and managing owners.
“Should, on the completion of their inquiry, the stewards determine that a horse ought be disqualified pursuant to AR 143(13)(b), the question of recovery of prizemoney awarded for the horse’s run in the race would be a matter for the RV Board to consider, not the stewards.
“The stewards will provide a further update once the inquiry has been concluded.”