JOCKEYS and punters were left ‘stunned’ after a rider picked up a six-week ban for finishing 11th on a 50-1 outsider.
Apprentice jockey Melissa Julius copped the harsh punishment following a race in South Australia on Saturday.
Racing chiefs determined she had failed to take all reasonable and permissible measures to get the best possible placing for her longshot fancy.
Julius was aboard Azzureous in the eight furlong race, where prize money extended down to the horse who finished tenth.
The jockey stopped pushing the four-year-old horse hard to the line in the final 200 yards because she thought she had run out of space.
As rivals near the front of the race drove their mounts hard, Julius could be seen rising in her saddle and ensuring the horse got home safely.
However, stewards took a dim view of her approach, which led to the horse finishing 11th and just missing out on a £560 cheque.
They slapped Julius with a six-week ban, which was branded way over the top by other jockeys and trainers.
Top rider Stephanie Thornton tweeted: “I can’t even deal. There is no common sense of logic in this decision.”
One punter said: “Ridiculous decision. Hopefully it gets overturned.”
I can’t even deal
there is no common sense of logic in this decision…..
— Stephanie Thornton (@smthornton99) May 23, 2021
Another branded the decision ‘ludicrous’ and said ‘that suspension must be overturned’.
Julius’ manager Philip Roost, who confirmed she will appeal the ban, said: “One of the worst decisions I’ve seen.”
Popular agent Dave Barry posted: “Would love to see the breakdown from stewards today on how/why they have come to this decision. Baffling doesn’t even begin to describe it.”
Simon Wylde, whose horses Julius usually rides, added: “I reckon she’s really hard done by.
“Not that I’ve seen all the footage, I can understand some sort of suspension but six weeks is just odd. It’s way over the top.
“She was just stunned that she got six weeks. And I was too.
“The horse was going to run sixth at best and it seems way, way over the top.”
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