Champion jockey Ben Melham faces a 10-meeting suspension following an incident during the Caulfield Guineas, where his mount, Griff, veered out over the final stages of the race.
Melham defended his actions, explaining that the horse had spooked after spotting a person on a ladder near the finish line.
He pleaded not guilty to causing interference and maintained that he had done everything in his power to regain control.
“I couldn’t do any more. I was steering left, and he kept running out, so I tried to correct him with my left hand,” Melham stated.
“He just hasn’t listened to me one bit, I put the blame on him.”
Racing Victoria stewards, however, believed Melham should have taken further action to straighten Griff and protect fellow riders.
In addition to the suspension, Melham was fined $1000 for two consecutive whip strikes before the 100-meter mark on Griff.
The suspension begins after the upcoming Caulfield Cup meeting on October 21, allowing Melham to return for the Bendigo Cup on October 30.
