Horse racing possesses a number of features that makes it just a little different from many of its compatriots on the modern sporting landscape. Be it the unique combination of man and beast straining every sinew in pursuit of victory, the weird and wonderful terminology, or the unrivalled relationship between the sport and the betting activity which surrounds it, racing possesses several attributes that are not really seen elsewhere.
Another area in which racing differs from other sports is the manner in which the rules are enforced. For example, whereas football, rugby and boxing have their referees, and cricket and tennis their umpires – all of whom are clearly visible to anyone watching the action – where are these arbiters in horse racing? And who are they?
Clearly in horse racing, a referee riding alongside the runners and riders, in amongst the action, dishing out yellow cards for excessive use of the whip or interfering with a rival would not only be completely impractical but also rather dangerous. Such indiscretions, and others besides, do however need to be noted and punished where necessary, and on the day of the race, this duty falls to a collection of individuals known as the stewards.
Present at every race meeting, these individuals go largely unnoticed the majority of the time. The major exception to this is in the instance of a Stewards Enquiry – a relatively common event, but one not completely understood by all, particularly those who are perhaps new to the sport. Here we take a closer look at this racing disciplinary feature, outlining exactly who these mysterious stewards are and what a stewards enquiry entails.
Who are the Stewards?
Stewards are simply a team of officials appointed by the racecourse with the approval of the British Horseracing Authority, in order to ensure the fair running of races and apply punishments in the instances that breaches of the rules do occur.
Each team of stewards will contain at least one stipendiary steward – stipendiary simply meaning an individual receiving a payment for their services – and usually two or three voluntary, unpaid stewards. A total of 16 individuals are on the BHA payroll as stipendiary stewards, around half of whom are former jockeys. These stipendiary stewards, or stipes, will travel around the country from meeting to meeting, whereas voluntary stewards tend to operate on a local basis, with each track having its own pool of volunteers to call upon.
Anyone may apply to become a voluntary steward, but the field is nevertheless limited to those able to donate their time and work for free. It therefore perhaps isn’t too surprising that the published lists of stewards tend to feature a liberal smattering of Lords, Ladies, Right Honourables and Esquires, in addition to a healthy dose of those in possession of a military title.
Race day duties of the stewards include the altering of conditions if necessary, for example omitting a fence or fences should conditions become unsuitable, requesting that a horse be drug tested following a suspiciously good or poor performance, voiding a race or even abandoning a meeting altogether. And of course, they are also responsible for calling and conducting a Stewards Enquiry.
What Is a Stewards Enquiry?
A stewards enquiry is an official enquiry into the outcome of a horse race, with the express aim of determining whether any rule breaches have occurred, and if so, whether such breaches have ultimately affected the result of the race.
Whilst the stewards are responsible for policing a number of areas, including excessive use of the whip or a horse not being ridden on its merits, indiscretions of this nature will be dealt with retrospectively, without a stewards enquiry being held. By far and away the most common reason for the calling of a stewards enquiry is perceived interference, and particularly interference towards the end of a race. Has a horse taken the racing ground of a rival? Or perhaps veered across the track forcing a competitor off a true line? And if so was the jockey at fault in allowing this to happen?
A stewards enquiry may be triggered by something spotted by the stewards themselves, or by an individual approaching the officials in the immediate aftermath of a race, for example a trainer or a jockey who feels that their horse has been adversely affected by a breach of the rules.
Whether instigated by a trainer, a jockey or the stewards themselves, once a decision has been taken to hold an enquiry, this information will be announced at the track, being preceded by the distinctive klaxon sound. Punters will also be advised to retain all betting tickets until the result of the enquiry has been announced – for it is only following the conclusion of a Stewards Enquiry that a result becomes official.
What Happens In a Stewards Enquiry?
Having made the decision to hold an enquiry, the stewards must then set about examining the perceived indiscretion, determining whether a breach of the rules has in fact occurred, and crucially, whether the breach of the rules has affected the result of the race.
Convening in the Stewards Room in the immediate aftermath of a race, the Stipendiary Steward will present the case to the panel of stewards, with the jockeys involved also being called to the investigation room in order to detail their side of the argument. The panel are free to ask questions, in addition to having at least five different camera angles available from which to view the incident.
Having taken account of all available information, the stewards must then come to a decision. If it is determined that a horse or jockey’s actions have affected another’s finishing position and that there has been a clear breach of the rules, for example the jockey failing to attempt to correct their mount when running off a true line, or encouraging their horse in the direction of interference by holding their whip in the wrong hand, the stewards have the authority to alter the finishing positions, or indeed to throw out the guilty party entirely. Stewards may also impose fines and/or suspensions to any individual found to be in breach of the rules.
Of the potential punishments dished out, clearly the one of most immediate relevance, to punters, owners, trainers and jockeys alike – in terms of potential winnings and prize money – is that concerned with the altering of finishing positions. And happily, for all concerned, the suspense rarely lasts too long, with a decision almost always being announced within fifteen minutes of the end of a race. The conclusion of a steward’s enquiry will be communicated on course, after which the official result will then be declared.
How Likely is an Amended Result?
There will of course always be a degree of subjectivity in determining exactly how much a horse has been inconvenienced by interference, making it pretty difficult to ascertain whether the result would have been any different had the interference not occurred. As such UK stewards do tend to be very careful when it comes to altering finishing positions, and it is in fact pretty rare to see the placings altered. Should a horse win by a head or less having inconvenienced a rival, there may be a chance that the placings will be altered, but only if the jockey is also found to have been at fault. In the event that the winning margin is greater than a head, it would be very strange indeed to see the result amended.
One thing to be aware of is that, whilst it is unusual to see an amended result in UK and Irish racing, an alteration of the placings is nothing like such a rarity in other jurisdictions, with the French, German and US racing stewards notoriously strict in their application of the rules. Jamie Spencer will most likely agree with this statement having been demoted from first to third for drifting off a true line in the Grade 1 Beverly D Stakes at Arlington in 2015, despite coming home over a length clear of the second-place finisher. This is a decent example of the differing approaches, as under the UK interpretation of the law, there is almost no chance he would have lost that race.
Is the Decision of the Stewards Final?
As with many processes which involve the punishment of an individual or individuals, the guilty parties do have the right to appeal. Should a trainer or, most often a jockey, wish to contest the decision against them, the matter will be forwarded to the British Horseracing Authority’s Disciplinary Panel with a hearing at the BHA head office in London arranged for a later date. In contrast to the 15 minutes or so of the initial steward’s enquiry, these disciplinary hearings may last for hours or even days.
Will a Stewards Enquiry Affect My Bet?
The prospect of celebrating a winning bet, only to then have your bubble burst due to a change in placings following a stewards enquiry, certainly doesn’t boast much appeal. Unfortunately, many (but not all) on-course bookmakers do pay out solely on the official result following a stewards enquiry, and not on the horse to have crossed the line in front.
Happily, this is not something which off-course punters need to be too concerned about, with the vast majority of online and high street operators offering what is known as the “Double Result”, or “First Past The Post” concession. What this means in practice is that whilst punters will still need to wait for the outcome of a stewards enquiry before collecting any winnings, upon the conclusion of the enquiry the bookmaker will pay out not only on the horse declared the official winner, but also the runner to have passed the post first, whether they are subsequently demoted to second, third, or even disqualified from the race entirely.
As with most concessions, there are a couple of exceptions to the above. Namely the Double Result offer will not apply to any bets placed Ante-Post, or should it be determined that the horse to cross the line first had in fact been carrying the wrong weight during the race. Also note that most betting operators will not offer double result on overseas racing – as good an indication as any as to just how often they like to alter the placings on foreign shores.
Stewards on the Big Stage
Whilst stewards enquiries take place up and down the country on a daily basis, the majority of these post-race investigations are on a relatively small scale and unlikely to hit the headlines. Not always though, on occasion it is the very biggest events of the racing calendar that are subjected to the scrutiny of the stewards. The opening Classics of the British flat season have both featured amended results over the years, as has the oldest Classic contest of them all the St Leger at Doncaster.
No To Nureyev (1980 2000 Guineas)
The hugely talented Nureyev was the colt to fall foul of the stewards following the 1980 edition of the 2000 Guineas after being demoted from first to last due to drifting from the centre towards the inside rail. This decision appears a little harsh after watching the race back, but it is nevertheless the name of Known Fact which is recorded as the winner of the Newmarket Classic that year.
Jacqueline Thwarted In Her Quest (2010 1000 Guineas)
Fast forward 30 years and the fillies’ Classic at HQ provided the stage for the stewards to intervene, with the ding-dong battle between 66/1 shot Jacqueline Quest and favourite Special Duty coming under their beady eye. Jacqueline Quest by a nose was the initial verdict, but having veered right across the track from the inside rail, taking Special Duty with her, it was a little more understandable to see this result turned around, much to the delight of jolly backers. This was clearly unfortunate for Jacqueline Quest, but unlike poor old Nureyev, she was at least allowed to hang on to second place.
Not So Simple For Verse (2015 St Leger)
And the most recent, and protracted, famous stewards enquiry incident came following the 2015 edition of the historic St Leger Stakes. Ralph Beckett’s Simple Verse became the first filly in 23 years to win the Doncaster Classic that year when just getting the better of Aidan O’Brien’s Bondi Beach in the closing stages. That thrilling conclusion to the race was however only the beginning of the drama.
Celebrations in the Becket camp proved to be short-lived, as Simple Verse became the first horse to be demoted from any Classic event since way back in 1789 – Bondi Beach being awarded the race due to what was deemed to be “extensive barging” by the filly in the final furlong.
All’s well that ends well, however, (at least for the Beckett camp anyway) and as mentioned above, the word of the stewards is not always the final one in these matters. Following an appeal, and a three-hour hearing, the places were eventually altered back to the order in which the horses crossed the line, making Simple Verse the first horse to ever be demoted and then reinstated in a British Classic.