Allan Robinson is medically unfit to attend a stewards’ inquiry into a dispute between John Singleton and trainer Gai Waterhouse, a spokesman for the retired jockey says.
High-profile lawyer Chris Murphy issued a statement on Twitter on Thursday to confirm Robinson would be a no-show at Monday’s hearing.
He says Robinson’s health is still suffering after a race fall at Cessnock in July 2010 in which he broke his back and suffered bleeding to his brain.
The fall ended his riding career.
“Alan (sic) will not be going to the More Joyous inquiry,” Murphy wrote.
“He is in no position to endure the stress. He pushed himself to undergo the Today Tonight interview to tell of his simple role in the More Joyous investigation.
“Without going into his health issues I can assure you he is not up to the task in his current condition.”
Robinson made a phone call to Singleton over information he had heard relating to the fitness of More Joyous before her defeat in the All Aged Stakes at Randwick last Saturday.
Because he is not licensed with Racing NSW, Robinson does not have to appear before stewards on Monday.
Singleton subsequently accused Waterhouse’s son, bookmaker Tom Waterhouse, of telling people the champion mare could not win the Group One race and sacked Gai Waterhouse as his trainer.
Robinson spoke of his role in the drama on Channel Seven’s Today Tonight program on Wednesday and said he was “horrified” by the public fallout between Singleton and Gai Waterhouse.
Tom Waterhouse has denied the accusations.
Requests to televise Monday’s high-profile inquiry have been denied by racing officials who are keen to hold the hearing in the same manner as any other.
Racing NSW received applications from television networks to attend Monday’s inquiry but the ruling body’s chief executive Peter V’landys said it was not in the best interests of anyone concerned to make an exception.
“We don’t believe that it would provide the necessary forum for the people involved getting procedural fairness, natural justice and due process,” V’landys said.
“We don’t want any distractions. It’s a very high-profile and serious case and we want to make sure all parties are given every opportunity to present their cases.
“It is a normal stewards’ inquiry and it’s not appropriate for it to be filmed.
“We had a number of TV stations wanting to do live coverage but it is a serious inquiry and we want to concentrate on that.”
