On January 29, 2026, the Commission heard an appeal from racehorse owner Andrew Donalds concerning a Stewards' decision during the race meeting on October 18, 2025. The appeal focused on the disqualification of Horse No. 2, Smart Trick, which the Stewards determined had caused intimidation and interference to Horse No. 4, Ms Cherry, near the 200-metre mark.
Mr Donalds argued that Smart Trick would have secured a third-place finish if it had not been impeded by Ms Cherry at that crucial point in the race. He referenced race footage to illustrate how the interference affected Smart Trick’s performance, emphasizing that the appeal was centered on fairness and the integrity of racing.
During the appeal process, the Commission received submissions from Operations Steward Dalon Clarke and Director of Racing Antoine Nembhard, who detailed the circumstances that occurred during the race and the rationale behind the race day steward’s decision. Operations Steward Dalon Clarke marshalled the evidence on behalf of the stewards, referring to Rule 201, Part 1.
After careful consideration of all the evidence presented, the Commission upheld the Stewards’ decision.
