Easterby to appeal fine

Mick Easterby is to appeal against a fine imposed by the Jockey Club’s disciplinary committee at a hearing last week, it was revealed today.

The trainer was fined £1,300 over the running and riding of Stonegrave at Southwell on April 12, with jockey Terry Lucas receiving a 14-day ban and the filly suspended from racing for 40 days.

Their punishment came after Stonegrave finished a never-nearer fifth in a seven-furlong maiden.

Lucas said that his mount suffered slight interference approaching the bend into the straight, stumbled at around the two-furlong pole and after used of the whip she put her head in the air, stumbled again, and resented the fast ground.

The committee rejected his explanation and as they were not satisfied that Lucas’ ride was a consequence of a failure on his part to comply with the instructions given to him by Easterby, they found the handler in breach of rule 155(ii), which states that it shall be the duty of a trainer to ensure that adequate instructions are given to the rider of any horse in his care.

Lucas has decided against an appeal and his suspension starts today while Stonegrave’s ban will be held in abeyance pending the outcome of the hearing.

A date has yet to be set for the appeal.