Jockey Teo Nugent has been suspended for 37 meetings on a careless riding charge that landed him in hospital with a serious neck injury following a fall at Moonee Valley.
Racing Victoria stewards on Friday concluded an inquiry into the fall of Florescent Star in the Listed Abell Stakes (1200m) on March 18 that left Nugent nursing a C1 fracture.
As a result of the fall, Florescent Star was humanely euthanised.
Nugent’s fall was the third in as many weeks leaving Ethan Brown and Jamie Kah with serious injuries while Craig Williams has made a return to the track.
After taking initial evidence from jockeys Craig Newitt, William Pike and Dean Yendall, RV stewards found Nugent was to blame for the fall passing the 300m mark of the Moonee Valley race.
Stewards said Nugent was found guilty of careless riding shifting out to obtain a run behind In The Boat, a position that was dangerously close to that horse’s heels.
As a result, Florescent Star clipped the heels of In The Boat and fell.
With Florescent Star falling, Belsielle and Frankie Pinot, which were following, were severely hampered while I Am War was also hampered.
Stewards suspended Nugent from April 21 to May 21, although the jockey is expected to remain on the sidelines for longer recovering from his injuries.
