Cassidy Wins Appeal Against Suspension
- Thursday, 06 October 2011 06:15
Jockey Larry Cassidy has won his appeal against a three-month suspension over his handling of beaten favourite Trump at Doomben last month.
Cassidy was questioned extensively on race day after $1.70 favourite Trump finished third to his Rob Heathcote-trained stablemate Bevico Girl in a 1615m race on September 17.
The former Sydney rider was later found guilty of not allowing Trump to run on its merits and was suspended for three months when stewards resumed their inquiries.
Cassidy was relieved when his appeal was upheld on Thursday.
"It's a good result," Cassidy said.
However, stewards indicated they would consider lodging their own appeal against the first level appeal body's decision.
"We've been told by the appeal board that the appeal was upheld in a benefit of the doubt ruling," chief steward Wade Birch said.
"Stewards will await the written report from today's hearing before considering whether or not to lodge our own appeal against the decision."
Stewards took Cassidy to task for not improving his position early in the race, saying he unnecessarily restrained him which resulted in the gelding being caught three wide.
Cassidy defended his actions saying he was trying to make sure Trump was relaxed and he was unable to get back in after two horses kicked up inside him.
Immediately after the race, Heathcote was furious with Cassidy's handling of the three-year-old when he became trapped three wide.
Cassidy, a three-time winner of the Sydney jockeys' premiership, moved to Queensland in January 2009.
He cited a lack of opportunity in Sydney due to small fields and the major stables retaining their own riders.
Cassidy won his three Sydney premierships in the late 1990s when he was the number one rider for Crown Lodge trainer John Hawkes.
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