Damien Oliver will start an 11-meeting riding ban at midnight on Monday with an appeal against the suspension to be heard on Wednesday.
Oliver was suspended for 11 meetings after being found guilty of “excessively slowing, reducing or checking the speed of a race which causes either direct or indirect interference”.
Stewards ruled Oliver had breached the rule, which has resulted in only four suspensions in the past four years, on Elite Elle in Friday night’s Champagne Stakes at Moonee Valley.
He was supposed to start his suspension at midnight on Wednesday, ruling him out of Saturday’s important Group One Turnbull Stakes meeting at Flemington.
Oliver will try to beat the ban before the Racing Appeals and Disciplinary Board on Wednesday morning.
Chief steward Terry Bailey said Oliver had caused severe interference when he restrained Elite Elle after she gained a position outside the leader and eventual winner Snitzerland.
“To give my horse every chance in the race I decided to steady the pace,” Oliver said during evidence at Monday’s inquiry.
“When I asked my horse to come back I felt it over-reacted.
“The fact that my horse overreacted can’t be my fault.”
Oliver pleaded not guilty to the charge and said he would appeal the verdict.
He told the inquiry the sectional times for the race failed to support the stewards’ contention.
Oliver said the interference had been magnified when Glen Boss failed to anticipate his tactic and had to check severely.
Bailey said the interference almost cost Boss and fellow jockey Dwayne Dunn their spring carnivals and, as a result, fell into the severe range.
