Melbourne Cup winning owner Brae Sokolski has been fined $10,000 after he broke COVID protocols at Flemington following the win of Verry Elleegant.
Sokolski had watched Verry Elleegant’s win with family and friends but was overcome with emotion after the mare won Tuesday’s race from Incentivise, a horse he also has a share of the ownership in.
He said an adrenalin rush following Tuesday’s race saw him jump the fence into mounting yard to celebrate the win before he was ushered from the area.
Sokolski apologised on Tuesday for his actions claiming, “these moments, they’re once in a lifetime”.
Racing Victoria stewards on Thursday charged Sokolski with breaching the conditions of entry into Flemington racecourse on Melbourne Cup Day.
Flemington was separated into different zones and Sokolski only had access to the “Green Zone”, but following the Cup he entered the mounting yard, a designated “Yellow Zone” and whilst in that zone he failed to wear a mask, a requirement of all in that area.
In delivery their penalty, RV stewards took into consideration Sokolski’s guilty plea, his candid evidence, his unblemished record over a long period of time and that he expressed remorse.
The stewards also took into consideration the nature of the offending and the potential ramifications that could flow from a breach of RV’s COVID protocols.