3 minute read

AN eventful whip protest threatened to take the shine off Rachel King’s history-making Hawkesbury premiership success today.

King didn't need to ride a winner from only three mounts at the season finale, and will celebrate her 30th birthday tomorrow (Friday) as the first female to become a senior premiership winning jockey at the provincial track.

She rode 12 winners for the season, two ahead of Jason Collett, who, somewhat ironically, was successful on a horse called Final Showdown ($9.50) in the Brad Widdup Racing Maiden Plate (1800m).

But it was nearly history for an entirely different reason when the controversial whip issue raised its head, resulting in a lengthy protest involving second placed dead-heaters Misty Brook ($6) and Club Legend ($12).

RacingNSW stewards, prior to declaration of correct weight, identified that Club Legend's rider Jordan Mallyon had used his whip 11 times prior to the 100m.

Stewards then offered Misty Brook's connections the opportunity to view the patrol films, and subsequently that filly's rider Adrian Layt exercised his rights under AR 132 (10) and lodged a protest.

After taking evidence from all parties, stewards could not be satisfied that Club Legend had gained an advantage and would have finished ahead of Misty Brook, and dismissed the objection.

However, Mallyon did not get off lightly.

He pleaded guilty to a charge of using his whip on 11 occasions (six more than the permitted number) prior to the 100m, and was suspended for a period from August 4 to 15, on which day he may ride.

In suspending Mallyon and determining the penalty, stewards noted this was his fifth breach of whip use in the past 12 months.

In other Hawkesbury premiership news, Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott claimed the 2019-20 trainer's title and Robbie Dolan the apprentices' award.

Co-trainers Waterhouse and Bott didn't have a runner today, but their 16 season winners at Hawkesbury was more than enough to comfortably defeat closest rival Gerald Ryan (13 wins).

Dolan (5 wins) held off stablemate Tom Sherry (4 wins) to take the apprentices' premiership.

The final premiership results are as follows:

JOCKEYS

R. King 12

J. Collett 10

T. Berry 8

J. Ford 8

T. Clark 8

B. Avdulla 7

TRAINERS

G. Waterhouse & A. Bott 16

G. Ryan 13

P. & P. Snowden 9

B. Baker 9

J. Cummings 8

M. Newnham 8

APPRENTICES

R. Dolan 5

T. Sherry 4

C. Graham 3

B. Griffiths 3

C. Williams 3