Racing: Johnson ponders appeal over 'tough' four-week ban

Jockey Chris Johnson is considering appealing against a four-week suspension he received for careless riding in the $100,000 Winter Cup at Riccarton on Saturday.

Johnson's mount, Delbrae, lugged out twice in the home straight before finishing a narrow second to Mikki Street.

Following an inquiry Delbrae was relegated to third for causing interference and the third horse across the line, Eye of Horus, was promoted to second.

Johnson was suspended from after the second day of the Canterbury meeting on Wednesday and up to an including September 3.

Johnson said yesterday he thought the period of four weeks was severe.

"I thought it was quite tough, actually," Johnson said.

He said he would make inquiries today about lodging an appeal.

"I was going to seek legal advice ... about it. I thought it was fairly tough."

Johnson said he had kept his riding record clean in recent times and could not recall being suspended for that length of time on a careless riding charge.

"Not that I can think of. It was my first charge since January."

Stipendiary steward Stewart Ching said the penalty did not reflect a new get-tough attitude towards interference.

The penalty was in line with others for interference in major races.

"It's the standard for the status of the race," Ching said.

The group three Winter Cup is one of the feature races at the Canterbury Jockey Club's three-day Grand National meeting.

Ching said rules for judicial panels stipulated that they should take into account the status of the race when deciding on penalties.

He said Johnson did not help his cause by not attempting to immediately straighten his mount on the two occasions the horse lugged out.

"Although he did pull off, he pulled off too late, twice," Ching said.

"He kept on riding the horse out when it was in contact with Eye of Horus on two occasions."

Ching said had Johnson taken corrective measures sooner there would probably have been no reason for an inquiry.

"If he had pulled off we probably wouldn't have been in the [judicial] room."

- NZPA