Nikolic free to ride leading Melbourne Cup hope

Australian jockey Danny Nikolic will be free to ride Mummify in the Tooheys New Melbourne Cup despite being charged with failing to give the horse every chance to win in his prep-race last Saturday.

Nikolic partnered the Lee Freedman-trained gelding in the Mackinnon Stakes at Flemington but the pair finished a disappointing eighth of 11 runners behind Casual Pass.