THE National Horseracing Authority is investigating the start of Race 6 at Clairwood in Saturday, which led angry punters to disrupt proceedings and cause the rest of the race meeting to be abandoned.

The NHA released the following statement on Monday:

The National Horseracing Authority confirms that an inquiry has been opened to establish why a “no start” (i.e. false start) was not declared in Race 6 at the Clairwood Racecourse on 17 March 2013, when the starting stall gate in which MY SANCTUARY was loaded, failed to open “on terms”.

Furthermore, in order to address inaccurate media reports, The National Horseracing Authority confirms that, in determining the result in Race 6 at the Clairwood Racecourse, the Stipendiary Board declared MY SANCTUARY a runner in terms of Rule 61.5.10.1, which states:

“Should the starter consider that through any faulty action of the starting gates or from any other cause, a fair start has not been effected, he may declare a ‘no start’. Should the starter not declare a ‘no start’, the SB may, after a hearing, declare any HORSE, which was impeded at the start by a front gate not opening, a non-runner provided that a horse which is ultimately declared first, second, third or fourth in a race by the judge shall not be declared a non-runner.”

The rule above which is the appropriate rule in this instance, does not give any discretion to the Stipendiary Board and therefore the Stipendiary Board had no option but to declare MY SANCTUARY a runner as it was placed third by the judge.