‘Rule change coming’ warns pundit as jockey Callum Shepherd overturns controversial 18-day ban

A RULE change is coming to racing a pundit has warned – as Callum Shepherd overturned his controversial 18-day ban.

The jockey admitted he ‘looked a mess’ as he successfully appealed his initial suspension for failing to ride out.

The jockey is now free to compete in the Flat season’s huge remaining races after getting his suspension quashed in a three-hour hearing.

Shepherd was originally deemed by BHA stewards to have failed to ride out David Simcock’s 6-1 Thorntonledale Max in a 7f handicap at Kempton last month.

The jockey – who was famously kicked off Ambiente Friendly in the Derby – got collared late on by 100-30 fav Flavour Maker in a remarkable dead-heat.

Shepherd took exception to that on social media, posting a photo of the finish he claimed showed he had won.

The jockey told the BHA at his hearing that he lost balance in the closing stages of the race, causing him to rise up out of the saddle.

Some punters thought the action was a result of Shepherd easing up his mount early, believing he had won.

But the jockey convinced the hearing otherwise.

Shepherd said: “It looks awful. I look a mess.

“But what’s crucial is that we didn’t lose any momentum whatsoever. I think it comes from commitment. My riding style just fell apart in the final strides.”

However, commenting on the successful appeal, former jockey George Baker said it shows a change to the rules is on the horizon.

Especially after James Doyle was fortunate to escape a ban for this incident at Windsor.

Baker said on Racing TV: “Callum was untidy and he has accepted that, he lost his rhythm and he looked messy.

“I feel that with the two recent incidents with sitting up on the line with James Doyle and Callum, I think there’s a rule change coming.

“There’s unrest among people that a jockey can talk their way out of that situation.

“Doyle talked his way out of a ban.

“When you ride abroad under no circumstances are you allowed to stop pushing and I think there’s a rule change coming from the BHA.

“Somebody who isn’t able to speak as well – there’s no way they’re getting out of that.

“Stewards accepted what Doyle said and he kind of got away with it.

“What he said was true, the horse cocked his jaw but at that time he was easing down from riding.

“I think there’s going to be a tweak with the rules.”

Explaining the panel’s decision to overturn Shepherd’s ban, chair James O’Mahony said: “We accept the reality of life in sport and in racing that things happen very fast.

“If every time a jockey made an error of judgement, there was to be a hearing about it, well, then hearings would go on every day and forever.

“The rising up in the saddle may have looked a lot worse than it in fact was, once you really look at it in such detail as we have.

“There was an acceptable reason for any appearance of not riding out, as the evidence has shown us.”

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