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Matthew Cahill, widely recognized as one of the leading country jockeys in Australia, has been suspended for six weeks by Racing NSW stewards.

Cahill was suspended after being found guilty of charges relating to his riding tactics on the Keith Dryden/Scott Collings-trained Balansa in in the TAB Federal Handicap (1300m) at the Canberra meeting on November 30.

AN inquiry was opened November 30 when evidence was taken from Cahill and Dryden after Balansa finished fourth before it was adjourned to allow for an investigation into betting on the race.

The stewards concluded the inquiry on Friday when further evidence was taken from Cahill and Dryden.

A written report was also submitted by Racing NSW betting analyst Mitchell Reid with respect to wagering on the event that did not identify any integrity issues.

However Cahilll was found guilty under AR135 (b) of failing to take all reasonable and permissible measures throughout the race to ensure that Balansa was given full opportunity to win or to obtain the best possible placing.

The particulars of the charge included:-

1) That approaching the 600m, when positioned approximately four lengths behind Mercurial Lad and three lengths behind Levee Bank, he failed to ride with sufficient vigour and purpose to attempt to improve his position when it when it was reasonable and permissible for him to do so.

2) That leaving the 600m, he continued to fail to ride his mount with sufficient vigour and purpose to improve his position and remained racing one off the rail, when it was reasonable and permissible for him to shift out and place his mount under pressure to follow Levee Bank which commenced to improve three-wide. Such failure resulting in Ons Vier then shifting in behind Levee Bank and then preventing him from improving his position for some distance thereafter.

3) That between the 500m and 400m, he failed to ride with sufficient vigour and purpose to shift out and attempt to improve into a run to the outside of Mercurial Lad and to the inside of Seeblume when it was reasonable and permissible for him to have placed his mount under pressure and improve between those runners at all relevant stages.

4) That after obtaining clearing running between Ons Vier and Seeblume near the 250m, between the 250m and 50m he failed to ride with sufficient vigour and purpose when it was reasonable and permissible for him to do so.

Cahill’s suspension starts on January 7 and will expire on February 18 on which day he may ride.