Just a week after stewards found several modified safety vests in the jockeys’ room at Rosehill, Taylor Lovelock-Wiggins has been fined for going to the scales with the same equipment.
The apprentice said he had simply forgotten to replace the packing during the week and it was an inadvertent mistake.
Lovelock-Wiggins was fined $300 and reminded of his obligations.
“I can’t understand with all the injuries that have been prevented why anyone wants to ride in them,” chief steward Ray Murrihy said.
“You were one of six riders told at Rosehill that they couldn’t ride in them.”
The foam packing from the tail portion of Lovelock-Wiggins’ vest had been removed.
“I have a vest I use for heavy rides and this was my first lightweight ride for the week,” he said.
“Because I hadn’t used it I forgot about putting it back.”
Lovelock-Wiggins said he and other riders found the packing in the tail part of the approved vests to be uncomfortable.
However, Murrihy said it was something they would have to live with in their own interests.
“I’d like to drive home tonight without a seat belt but I can’t do that,” he said.
AAP TURF
