Spencer free to ride Yeats in Derrinstown
At Navan last Saturday he was suspended for four days, having been found guilty of careless riding aboard All Too Beautiful in a ten furlongs Listed race. All Too Beautiful drifted left with over a furlong to run, with Sahara Sonnet slipping up and sending Michael Kinane crashing to the ground.
Lady O’Reilly, owner of Sahara Sonnet, subsequently lodged an objection against the 'leniency' of the suspension.
The grounds for her appeal were that the actions of Spencer were such that his riding was not merely careless, but was in fact dangerous as, during the course of the race, he caused interference to Sahara Sonnet and, in doing so, Kinane fell and was injured, while Sahara Sonnet was also subsequently injured.
The Appeals and Referrals Committee met at the Turf Club yesterday to consider the matter. Evidence was heard from stewards’ secretary, Lorcan Wyer, Lady O’Reilly, Kinane, Spencer, and John Oxx and Aidan O’Brien, trainers respectively of Sahara Sonnet and All Too Beautiful. Having heard the evidence, the appeal was dismissed and the decision of the acting stewards at Navan to suspend Spencer four four days, May 3,5,6 and 7 confirmed. Spencer, of course, was also suspended at Longchamp on Sunday for four days. But because that runs concurrently with the Irish suspension so he will be back for Yeats. He also misses the ride on Necklace in Sunday’s 1000 Guineas at Newmarket, having got a one-day suspension for his use of the whip on Royal Tigress at Leopardstown.
As well as Newmarket, Spencer will miss the Curragh on Monday, Naas (Wednesday), Clonmel (Thursday) and the Friday night meeting at Wexford.
