Racing: Drugs case adjourned

Racing's Judicial Control Authority will not rule on charges against high-profile jockey Lisa Cropp for returning a positive drug test until next season.

An authority hearing scheduled at Te Rapa racecourse today has been adjourned to Ellerslie on August 3 at the request of Cropp's lawyer, Barry Hart.

The adjournment clears the way for Cropp to ride for the rest of the season in her bid to beat Lance O'Sullivan's New Zealand record of 193 season winners.

The 34-year-old Cambridge jockey leads the jockeys' premiership with 160 wins with two months of the season remaining.

Geoff Hall, chairman of the authority committee, heard Hart's submission in a telephone conference.

Hart said the defence could not proceed tomorrow because he had not been given enough time to brief witnesses over scientific evidence or to prepare a full reply.

Simon Moore, lawyer for New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing, said he did not oppose the adjournment.

Cropp returned a positive test in random testing of 17 jockeys at Te Rapa on May 7.

- NZPA