Nash Rawiller has won his appeal against the severity of a careless riding suspension and will be free to partner Think It Over in the $1.5 million Tancred Stakes.
The top jockey was suspended for six meetings by Racing NSW stewards on Saturday for shifting in aboard Sweet Ride near the 800m in the Golden Slipper when insufficiently clear of Rachel King’s mount Queen Of The Ball.
While the Appeals Panel concurred with stewards that Rawiller’s ride was careless, two of the three members of the Panel felt Queen Of The Ball was not adversely affected by the jockey’s actions and under the Racing NSW penalty template, the Panel deemed the appropriate punishment to be a reprimand.
“(Panel member) Mr Murphy and I agree that there was a low level of carelessness, but we are not comfortably satisfied that Miss King’s horse lost it’s rightful running, or had to be checked in any way of substance,” Principal Panel member Richard Beasley SC said at Wednesday’s hearing.
“If no consequence is established, no penalty should usually be applied.
“My Murphy and I are, however, inclined to think that given the carelessness in such an important race, a reprimand should still be issued to Mr Rawiller, but he should otherwise be free to ride.”
It is a significant victory for the jockey, who can now continue his association with the Kerry Parker-trained Think It Over in the Group 1 Tancred Stakes (2400m) at Rosehill on Saturday.
A last-start runner-up to Duais in the Australian Cup at Flemington, Think It Over is a $4 second favourite behind the Edward Cummings-trained mare, who heads early markets at $2.90.
Rawiller has also secured five other rides on Saturday, including the Group 1 mount aboard Mokulua for Clarry Conners in the Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) and New Zealand raider Regal Lion in the Group 2 Tulloch Stakes (2000m).