Stewards officiating at a Mildura meeting where a race was run over the wrong distance have been put on notice but no penalties have been issued after an inquiry into the error.
The long-serving starter and the tractor driver who transported the barriers to the wrong position, offered their resignations but Racing Victoria’s chairman of stewards Terry Bailey said they were not accepted.
The third race at Mildura last Sunday was meant to be over 1000m but was instead run over 1100m.
In Racing Victoria’s report into the matter released on Friday, it was established the tractor driver had mistakenly believed the race was over 1100m and took the barriers to the wrong position.
The error was not picked up by the starter, assistant starter or stewards officiating at the meeting.
Bailey said it was an “unacceptable situation” and the starter, tractor driver and steward in charge on the day had “taken full responsibility for their actions and acknowledged their errors”.
The chairman of stewards said the stewards officiating on the day “have been reminded of their obligations and advised a repeat would require disciplinary action”.
