Quote:
Originally Posted by PhantomOnTour
My apologies if this is a bit of thread drift, but why do the stews even bother interviewing the jockeys when there's a foul claim?
The video should tell the whole story.
If one jock happens to be a more eloquent speaker he/she may be able to sway the decision, esp when we have so many jocks to whom English is a second language (I'm presuming they speak to the stews in English).
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The same reason you want to talk to witnesses, even self-interested ones, in any situation.
I.e., when the rider actually is innocent or not as guilty as it looks, he or she can provide useful information to the stewards. "Actually he bumped me just before I came in, so he caused it rather than me." And then the stewards look at the film and see that bump which they missed.
Even ordinary people are remarkably good at this type of factfinding. Juries are actually very, very good at telling the difference between someone shilling and spinning and someone who is providing them with useful information they did not know. I am sure that experienced stewards can see through all the typical jockey BS while also utilizing important information when the jockeys provide it.
