BTC Stewards open a Pandora’s Box

The BTC Stewards declared the seventh race of Saturday’s race card void for purpose of betting but allowed the result to stay. There was no word from the club as to the reason for their decision. For the record, jockey Srinath came a cropper on favourite Still Will at the start of the race which was won by Virtuoso. The yellow cone went up signaling the Stewards enquiry but there was no explanation as to why the enquiry was being held. A few minutes later, there was an announcement that all betting will be refunded. There was no word as to why the Stewards took this decision. With the deliberations having been held in camera, this was a matter for endless debate.

Did the Stewards withhold the telecast because they had nothing much to discuss and they did not want to cut a sorry figure in front of the racing public? One is not sure. Transparency has indeed been bypassed by not having the enquiry telecast live. Did the Stewards think that repeated telecast of replays may enrage the race goers and make them turn their wrath on the jockey who was unseated instead of clearing the air? The moment the yellow cone went up; the crowd got excited and caused a commotion. By having raised the expectation of the racing public, the Stewards were bound to take a decision which they took without thinking about the repercussions.

Dominic trained Still Will went into the Shravanabelagola Plate (Div I) as an overwhelming favourite. Still Will jumped out from the gates with Srinath appearing unbalanced and he fell soon after. Lesser fancied Virtuoso went on to win the race at the expense of Greenbro.

It was difficult to make out as to what exactly transpired at the jump out. The BTC cameras are not adequate to capture the action minutely. And since the club did not show the replays during the enquiry or after the decision of the Stewards, one could not come to a definite conclusion about the reason for the fall of the jockey.

Since the race was declared null and void for purpose of betting, did the Stewards think that Srinath deliberately got off the horse and that was the reason for their action? Did they declare the race void for purpose of betting on the ground that they suspected malpractice? Did they have strong proof for such a belief? Or did they take the decision because the jockey was not ready when the start was given and hence it was a false start? Was their decision influenced by the fact that the favourite had not participated in the race due to the jockey being unseated and that the punters money needed to be safeguarded? Will they take similar decision if the favourites get knocked out at the start due to interference or the jockey getting unseated? How do they justify the decision to scores of people who would have backed the winner because the said horse had strong credentials in their calculations? Can they ensure that the favourite always gets precedence and trouble free passage in a race? Will they declare the race void for purpose of betting if the favourite gets left at the gate? Are the Stewards guided by the belief that the favourite is the best horse to win a race only because the said horse has attracted huge volumes of money? These are questions that need to be answered by the powers that be.

The decision of the BTC Stewards has exposed the fragile nature of the system which is prone to pressures and pulls. By taking the decision to declare the betting as void, the Stewards have exposed themselves to pressures of public expectation which is bound to turn hostile in the event of a favourite losing for whatever reason.

The Stewards decision has indeed opened a Pandora’s Box.