Peter Robl has been suspended for six meetings for careless riding at Canterbury on Wednesday but his explanation has provided an intriguing insight into the fine line jockeys navigate between safety and punter expectation.
Riding the favourite Pera Pera, who was crunched in from $1.50 to start $1.28, Robl fell foul of stewards for his attempt to shoulder into clear running rounding the home turn in the Australian Turf Club Handicap.
He pleaded guilty but said he feared the wrath of punters if he didn't try to manoeuvre off the fence.
"You say the price of a horse doesn't come into it but it does," Robl told stewards.
"Your duty of care extends to your fellow riders, yourself and your horse as well," presiding steward Greg Rudolph said.
