Driver Changes
Due to the continual requirement to chase trainers for drivers after the driver declaration deadline has elapsed Racing Queensland will effective from June 1 report to Stewards any trainer who has not confirmed the driver for their horse as at the 9:00am driver deadline.
Stewards will then determine whether any action will be taken against the trainer and / or driver.
The driver declaration deadline is in place to enable preparation of updated race fields for interested parties including QRIC Stewards, media outlets and publications and to various wagering service providers.
Failure to notify your driver by the prescribed deadline risks incorrect or incomplete information being supplied to all parties. It also delays Racing Office staff from completing their daily duties therefore impacting other tasks.
Therefore, from June 1 any drivers required to be changed at any time after the 9:00am deadline will be reported to QRIC Stewards as a form of encouragement to ensure trainers meet the required driver declaration deadline.
Colour Changes
Due to ongoing non-conformance of colour changes not being completed by trainers by the required deadline (9:00am driver declaration deadline) and continual examples of drivers wearing different race colours than those advertised, from June 1 a tougher stance will be taken should trainers or drivers fail to comply.
It is therefore recommended that trainers:
- Immediately check the colours allocated to each horse in your care as indicated on the stable return
- Upon each time your horse is engaged always check the colours to ensure they are correct.
- Should you have multiple runners in a race make absolutely certain alternate colours are applied prior to the 9:00am driver declaration deadline
Any colour changes required after the 9:00am deadline will be reported to Stewards who will determine whether action is to be taken against the trainer.
To be clear any colours found not to be changed after the driver declaration deadline will continue to be applied at the discretion of Racing Office staff. Such examples of colours not being applied prior to the deadline will also be reported to QRIC Stewards to take the appropriate action.
Should RQ Racing Office staff have to apply colours at their discretion drivers are expected to and must wear the colours applied and advertised.
Similarly, drivers who continue to wear colours other than those advertised may be questioned or penalized by Stewards.
As this is a public sport in which the advertised colours are to assist the public in following or identifying a horse, driver or trainer it is extremely important that drivers wear the colours as advertised in racebooks and formguides.
Should the advertised race colours not be available on course at race day the driver will be required to wear club colours.
It is recommended trainers confer with their drivers in advance to determine the race colours preferred to be used and make sure that the appropriate colours are applied by the 9:00am driver declaration deadline.
Drivers are permitted to wear their own drivers colours as long as the application of these colours have been organized in advance and applied by the driver declaration deadline and are therefore advertised as such in the racebooks and formguides.
Both trainers and drivers may be subject to penalties for non-conformance.
Trainers are reminded that when they have multiple runners in a race the rule that prevents the use of similar colours in the same race applies. Similar colours are deemed those almost identical in body. Should a trainer apply similar sets for multiple runners in a race which does not comply with this rule the trainer may also be dealt with by QRIC Stewards.
