Racing: Innes angry over appeal judgment

Leith Innes and Trebla formed a great partnership. Picture / Simon Baker

Leith Innes wants to know why he was refused his application for a stay of proceedings against suspension to allow him to ride Trebla in Saturday's $250,000 Wellington Cup and Tusker in the $150,000 Thorndon Mile.

Innes has appealed against the severity of the three-week riding suspension he copped riding Wahid at Trentham last Saturday.

Chief stipendiary steward Noel McCutcheon opposed the stay of proceedings.

Wahid won the $75,000 Trentham Stakes but was relegated to third for interference to third-placed Abbey Drive.

The short answer might be that Innes has appealed against the severity of the sentence rather than the sentence itself.

But Innes might quote the Sydney example where riders are automatically allowed a nine-day stay to fulfil engagements following a charge.

"It lessens the impact on horses' connections," said deputy Sydney stipe Greg Rudolph.

In Queensland a five-day stay exists, but Melbourne has a different system.

"We allow a stay only if riders are declared for a race, and that includes the Melbourne Cup," said Melbourne's head stipendiary steward Des Gleeson.

"If a rider appeals against a suspension in, say, a Cox Plate, the right to ride on Derby Day at Flemington a week later and in the Melbourne Cup will be at the discretion of the Appeals Board," said Gleeson.

Innes is a strong believer in a stay leading up to major races, even though he would be happy if his suspension was just for this weekend.

The three weeks on the sideline he figures could cost him up to $55,000.

"I pleaded guilty on Saturday. I didn't see Grant [Cooksley on Abbey Drive] and while I was suspended twice in Hong Kong, they didn't mention how long it is since I was suspended in New Zealand, yet the Hong Kong charges were mentioned.

"They said they took all those things into account in the sentence - what are they saying, if they hadn't they were going to give me six weeks?"

Innes said he was happy with a suspension.

"I made an error of judgment, but my lawyer and I want to know why apprentice Kelly Myers was allowed a reduction of her suspension on a similar charge.

"The two riders she injured in that incident, Hayden Tinsley and Jade Rogers are still not back riding."

Vinny Colgan is the new rider for Wellington Cup third favourite Trebla, narrowly beaten into second in last Saturday's lead-up race at Trentham.

Trebla's trainer Del Roberts accepts his fate, but would clearly like to have Innes in the saddle on Saturday.

"I think perhaps the main thing is looking after the punters who have already backed the horse at fixed odds.

"I'm one of them."

Chris Johnson was yesterday similarly unsuccessful in his application for a stay of his riding suspension to allow him to ride Empyreal in the Wellington Cup.

Johnson, on Striking, copped six days after being found guilty of causing home-straight interference on Striking at Trentham on Saturday.

Innes was originally suspended up to and including February 12.

Because of the application for a stay to ride on Saturday was not ruled on before the declaration of riders for Rotorua races yesterday, Innes was clear to ride at Rotorua, but he called in sick.

It means he will resume riding on February 12 if his appeal against the severity of his sentence is unsuccessful.

Australian jockey Scott Seamer will ride Lisa Cropp's mount Tusker in the Thorndon Mile.

Cropp has been suspended and will also miss the ride on Sing In The Sun in the Wellington Cup and Snazzy in the Thorndon Mile.

She is replaced by Scott Seamer on Snazzy and Lisa Allpress on Sing In The Sun.