Victorian stewards have been forced to adjourn an inquiry after Steven Vella threw in his jockey’s pass and stormed off after being charged with failing to ride his mount out to the line at Moonee Valley.
In the final race on Saturday night, Vella finished fifth aboard Ekibuuka who was nailed on the line by Petrify who claimed the fourth prize money.
Vella pleaded not guilty and wanted stewards to have the horse vetted in the morning after he claimed Ekibuuka was “two out of five lame”.
A post-race examination by veterinary surgeons which included checking the heart and lungs, flexing the knees and fetlocks and trotting the horse up, showed no signs of soreness.
Vella wanted vets to do a hoof test on the gelding.
After stewards told Vella “what you want and what’s going to happen are two different things” Vella threw his pass on the table and stormed off.
Earlier Vella told stewards that Ekibuuka felt sore on the way to the barrier but had trotted up fine before the start.
He claimed that as Ekibuuka horse began to tire he felt lame in the straight and was hanging in.
