KEY POINTS:
Lisa Cropp's manager, Lenny Goord, says only one piece of evidence needs to be produced at her appeal in Queensland - the official photo finish of Monday's A$300,000 ($335,000) Brisbane Cup.
Cropp was suspended for three months after Queensland stewards ruled she did not ride New Zealand mare Lilakyn right to the finish of the race when beaten a nose by New South Wales stayer Newport in the time-honoured event.
Goord, who last night lodged an appeal on behalf of Cropp, said the photo finish proved that to be totally wrong.
Cropp went up with a victory salute, but the video footage of the race, both side-on and head-on, was inconclusive as to whether Cropp's salute was before the finish line, on it or after it.
"The only factual evidence of where the salute took place is the official photo finish," says Goord.
"That clearly shows her crouching and pumping and with her right hand just about to use the whip.
"The only obligation is to ride your horse to the line and that's what happened."
The official stipendiary stewards report read: "Jockey L. Cropp, rider of the 2nd placegetter, Lilakyn, was found guilty of a charge under AR137(b), in that she failed to ride her mount right out to the finish line. L. Cropp was suspended from riding in races for a period of 3 months, to commence at midnight, June 16, and to expire at midnight, September 16, 2007. In assessing penalty, stewards took into account that in their view L. Cropp's actions cost her 1st placing."
Cropp was adamant in the inquiry that she had ridden Lilakyn right to the finish.
"I was absolutely past the post - you can clearly see I have ridden right to the line," she told chief steward Reid Sanders.
"The angle of the video is not great - I have rode her to the line and went up in the same motion. I pushed down to make sure I had her head extended."
Riders found guilty of such breaches have 48 hours to lodge an appeal, which must be heard within 14 days of being received.
The appeal will be heard by the first level of the appeals panel of the Queensland Racing Board.
"It's an independent board made up of legal representatives, retired jockeys and retired trainers," said Sanders, a nephew of New Zealand trainer Graeme Sanders.
In the appeal, Cropp and her representatives can make submissions about the charge and also about penalty.
Sanders said the last such charge brought in Queensland was at a midweek meeting at Ipswich two and a half years ago.
"The penalties vary. Obviously it's going to be a more serious charge if it's a group two race like a Brisbane Cup than a maiden race at Longreach.
"It had to be a suitable penalty to reflect the status of the race. The importance is the dollars invested in the race, the status of the race and the value of the horse as a broodmare when she is retired."
The difference in prizemoney was also large - A$192,000 for first place and A$60,000 for second.
Lilakyn's owner Sam Kelt, who did not travel over for the race, has taken the result philosophically.
"From what I've seen it's bloody unlikely it's cost us the race.
"What disappoints me is that the best horse didn't win - the best horse ran second.
"Anyway, we were beaten by the barrier draw, not by the jockey.
"The winner came up the inside and we had to go around the entire field on the home turn and we were beaten by what? 2cm."
Cropp has become the headline queen of horse racing.
First there are the methamphetamine charges which drag on with their dreary judicial reviews, then the famous "metal device" incident after the $700,000 Mercedes Derby.
* Opie Bosson said last night he is not interested in chasing the jockeys' premiership title, despite the Queensland implications for Cropp.
With six and a half weeks of the racing season still to unfold, Bosson sits in second place 14 wins behind Cropp, who has ridden 130 winners.
But he has no intention of going after the premiership and will even take a Thailand holiday next month.
"It's never been a priority for me. I'd rather win major races."
