布文停賽接近二個月
Leading jockey Hugh Bowman has been outed for almost two months after an inquiry into the fall at Rosehill on Wednesday which left three jockeys injured.
A battered and bruised Jeff Lloyd made an appearance at the stewards inquiry and viewed the incident of which he had no recollection.
Lloyd suffered concussion and was sporting a black eye and cuts to his face as well as a swollen hand.
Peter Robl suffered a broken vertebra when his horse came down after it was unable to avoid Lloyd's fallen mount while Blake Shinn broke his wrist.
Bowman admitted he had shifted out on to Rodney Quinn's horse which subsequently bumped Lloyd's but said he believed he was entitled to do so and that Lloyd's horse had contributed to its own misfortune.
"I am not a rider who throws caution to the wind," Bowman said.
"I am as safe as anyone and I made the movement with care and the utmost respect for the other riders and horses.
"I can't be held solely responsible for the terrible outcome."
Lloyd expects to be out of the saddle for about two weeks, Robl and Shinn for six weeks.
Shinn's partner, fellow jockey Kathy O'Hara, suffered a shoulder injury in a fall in a previous race but hopes to be riding this weekend.
Lloyd had already booked a holiday to Fiji with his family and leaves on Monday.
"My head still spins a bit when I lie down but apart from the black eye and a sore hand I'm fine," he said.
"We'll go on holiday and I hope to be back riding on Boxing Day."
Bowman, who is currently the equal leader on the Sydney premiership, will begin his ban on December 21 and return on February 12 next year.
Coincidentally, Australian racing authorities have agreed to set up a scheme to help fund personal insurance and compulsory public liability premiums for jockeys.
The Australian Jockeys' Association (AJA) met with the Australian Racing Board in Sydney on Friday to push for one per cent of prizemoney to be directed into the scheme.
AJA chief Paul Innes said the ARB had agreed to establish the national scheme by July 1 next year which equated to about $3.7 million annually. | |
