Callum Shepherd in race to get rides after winning appeal on eve of 11-day ban

Callum Shepherd: hoped his appeal would be heard a week ago

John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

Callum Shepherd has won his appeal against an 11-day suspension, imposed over a finding of improper riding at Chelmsford that will now be expunged from his record.

However, the jockey fears he will still lose out, as the appeal was finally heard on the eve of when that suspension was originally due to start and two days’ worth of declarations have now been made without him.

In particular, Shepherd is worried he has lost the chance to ride Sir Busker in Saturday’s Lockinge Stakes at Newbury. Hollie Doyle is booked for the ride on William Knight’s horse, with final declarations having been made while the appeal hearing was taking place.

“I’m very relieved,” Shepherd said, moments after being cleared by the appeals panel. “Eleven days at this time of year is dreadful.

“I think justice was done but I’m upset because they had to delay the hearing a week, they didn’t have room last week. I’ve effectively been ruled out of Friday and Saturday, even though I’m innocent, because declarations were already done. Sir Busker is a big price but if that costs me a Group 1, that’d be quite traumatising.

Sir Busker: due to be partnered by Hollie Doyle in Saturday’s Group 1 Lockinge Stakes

Pool

“Unfortunately, I’m not Ryan Moore, so getting rides back won’t be straightforward. So that’s irritating but obviously the process was carried out fairly and worked and I appreciate their consideration.”

The BHA said jockey changes involving Shepherd would certainly be allowed for Friday and Saturday, despite declarations having closed.

Shepherd was banned by the Chelmsford stewards after finishing third on Morag McCullagh in a Listed fillies’ race two weeks ago. He was ruled to have “manoeuvred his mount right, when there was insufficient room”, causing Romantic Time under Jack Mitchell to be moved right, clipping the heels of another rival and stumbling twice.

On Shepherd’s behalf, solicitor Rory Mac Neice argued that in fact the initial contact between the two horses was more of a coming together, caused at least in part by Romantic Time stepping to her left. Shepherd told the panel: “I never make a manoeuvre or seek to come out from behind Ryan Moore whatsoever.”

As Mac Neice stressed, a finding of improper riding requires there to have been a deliberate manoeuvre on the part of the accused jockey. He contended there was no evidence of a manoeuvre here and the panel accepted that, allowing the appeal while also describing Mitchell’s evidence as “fair and honest”.

Delivering the verdict, James O’Mahony, the panel chairman, said: “What this case reveals is the efficacy of the appeal process and the advantage we have, from the excellent way in which the technology is put before us, of seeing in minute detail, with minute timings, what happened with far greater concentration and focus than anyone would have had from watching the race in normal speed. And we infer that those advantages that we have could not really be enjoyed by the stewards in the stewards’ inquiry.

“At first blush, one might think this case looks clear in that there was a deliberate manoeuvre. But very close examination of pixelated video footage reveals something which was in fact accepted by Mr Mitchell. Mr Mitchell’s horse was, through no fault of Mr Mitchell, going laterally left.

“Therefore we find on the balance of probabilities, taking into account the clear evidence we have seen, that there was not a deliberate manoeuvre as alleged by the BHA. The stance taken by the stewards and the BHA is entirely understandable. But there it is.”

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FIRST PUBLISHED 12:53PM, MAY 12 2022