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Robin Parke

Senior handicapper Martyn Stewart came out swinging yesterday in the controversial case of disqualified Heading To Win, which he raised four points in the handicap.

 That prompted trainer Lawrie Fownes to label the decision a farce, but an unrepentant Stewart immediately trotted out previous cases to back up the decision that followed the National Day race at Sha Tin.

 And Stewart declared: 'In absolute fairness to connections of Heading To Win, we did not raise him any higher because that would have meant him not being able to run in Class Four. But having watched the way he ran, it could easily have been done.'  Stewart cited three separate cases - all of horses disqualified before the weigh-in - who had their ratings subsequently altered.

 Diamond Coast was disqualified in May 1994 after the jockey weighed in heavy, while Icy Bet, in May 1993, and Highway Patrol, in 1990, were also disqualified and placed last for interference.

 'In three cases, which were the most pertinent ones we could find, the rating of each horse was subsequently raised although the Highway Patrol one was actually before my time,' said Stewart.

 Ironically, Trainers' Association chairman Brian Kan Ping-chee, who refused to sign a letter to be handed into the Racing Department, was the trainer of Icy Bet.

 The former champion trainer said in local media reports that the reason he did not sign the letter was because a horse of his - Icy Bet - had been similarly treated in the past.

 The senior handicapper explained that the final assessment of four points seemed absolutely fair.

 'We had to take into account that four or five other horses in the race had their chances ruined because of the incident so they could obviously have finished considerably closer - but who knows exactly where?  'We had to look at the easy manner in which Heading To Win 'won' but [opted not to] adjust again to be fair to connections. Another point would have taken him out of Class Four races and we did not think that would have been fair,' said Stewart, who mulled over the whole incident before making the final ratings assessment.

 He added: 'I was very surprised at the furore over this, it seems to have almost overshadowed the original incident. Not only have we had these similar cases here before, but there was one in England very recently which was the same and did not even raise [any] comment.'  Stewart was referring to the case of a leased horse, Pertemps Network, who had raced for the sponsoring company of the Pertemps St Leger at the Classic meeting at Doncaster on September 5.

 The horse was disqualified and placed last and was subsequently raised five pounds in the handicap.



Handicapper cites precedents for Heading To Win's penalty