Stewards today conducted by telephone a hearing of a dispute over the engagement of Hugh Bowman in Race 2 at Randwick on January 1.

Evidence was taken from the following parties:

Mr James Cummings – co-trainer of Coolcraft

Mr Liam Prior – racing manager for Mr Chris Waller, trainer of Kipling and Country Warrior

Hugh Bowman – jockey

Mr Bryan Haskins – rider agent for Hugh Bowman

Upon consideration of all the evidence, including written material provided by Mr Liam Prior and by Mr James Cummings, the Stewards were satisfied that after riding Coolcraft into 4th placing at Warwick Farm on the 10th December 2014, that Hugh Bowman was contacted by telephone by co-trainer, Mr James Cummings on the following day, with a view to Hugh Bowman being engaged to ride Coolcraft at its next start in a 1200 metres maiden 3YOCG at Royal Randwick on 1st January 2015.

Subsequent to that telephone conversation, the Stewards accept that Mr Cummings then made a telephone call that day to Mr Bryan Haskins to confirm that engagement.

Whilst Mr Cummings gives evidence that Mr Haskins accepted the booking, Mr Haskins was not able to accurately recollect the conversation and in particular, as to whether he specifically told Mr Cummings that he would not confirm the booking as it was not his practice to confirm bookings that far out from a minor race on the 1st January 2015.

Stewards accept that in an email of the 22nd December 2014, Bryan Haskins confirmed a booking to the Waller stable of Hugh Bowman on Country Warrior in the 3YOCG Maiden at Royal Randwick on New Year’s Day (Country Warrior is also an acceptor).

Stewards accepted the evidence of Mr Prior and Mr Haskins that as Mr Waller often has multiple acceptors in a race, it is a practice to interpose riders on Waller stable horses and in effect, the booking is for the race and not a specific horse.

Thus Hugh Bowman was listed at acceptance time as the rider of Kipling.

In reaching a determination as to who holds the booking for Hugh Bowman in the 3YOCG Maiden, the Stewards rule in favour of Mr James Cummings as they are satisfied that in telephone conversations of the 11th December 2014 with the jockey and with the jockeys agent, that he had shown his intention to engage the services of Hugh Bowman for Coolcraft and such approach had not been stalled or rejected by either party.

Those conversations having taken place on the 11th December 2014, which in the view of the Stewards, on the available evidence had amounted to Hugh Bowman’s services having been secured for Coolcraft, that engagement preceded the communication of the Waller stable of the 22nd December 2014 with Mr Haskins.

The Stewards rule that the earlier engagement takes precedence and that Hugh Bowman must ride Coolcraft.

Mr Waller subsequently notified J Penza as the rider of Country Warrior and J Collett as the rider of Kipling.