Fresh from being handed a seven-meeting suspension for careless riding in the Golden Slipper, James McDonald has again found himself on the wrong side of stewards, this time for his over exuberance with the whip.
McDonald was hauled before stewards at Wednesday’s Canterbury meeting over two separate incidents stemming from Saturday’s Slipper meeting.
The first resulted in a reprimand and a $200 fine for overuse of the whip on Tulloch Stakes third-placegetter Sir Denzel.
However, it was his ride on BMW runner-up Silent Achiever that had stewards most concerned.
McDonald was reprimanded for hitting the mare in a forehand manner five successive times and 11 times overall before the 100m – six more times than allowed under the rules.
Chief steward Ray Murrihy told McDonald the consequences could have been more dire if Silent Achiever had won, instead of finishing a head behind Fiveandahalfstar.
“One can only imagine if you’d got up what Fiveandahalfstar’s connections would have said when they’ve ridden their horse to the rules and you haven’t ridden to the rules,” Murrihy said.
“The whip rules are not to be flouted, and they’re not to be flouted in a big race.”
McDonald was given a one-week suspension for his overuse of the whip with the penalty to start on April 28 and finish on May 5.
He will ride favourite It’s A Dundeel in the Australian Derby this Saturday before beginning his careless riding suspension which expires on April 28, a day after the colt potentially runs in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Randwick.
McDonald has appealed the severity of his seven-meeting careless riding penalty and that will be heard this Friday.
