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At an adjourned inquiry on November 9 jockey Nikita Beriman was found guilty of a charge of failing to take all reasonable and permissible measures throughout the race to ensure her horse was given full opportunity to win or obtain the best possible place in the field relating to her ride on Shadow Land in the Warrnambool Mazda 6 Maiden Plate at Warrnambool on November 4.

The particulars of the charge were that from near the 250 metre mark, until after passing the 50 metre mark, she failed to make sufficient effort to improve her position between Napoleonic (Lincoln Coffey) and Egyptian Waltz (Neville Wilson) when in the opinion of the stewards she had the opportunity to do so.

Beriman had her licence to ride in races suspended for a period to commence at midnight on Tuesday November 9 and to expire at midnight on Wednesday February 9 2011 – a total of 3 months.

An appeal against the decision and severity of the penalty was lodged on November 10.

Taking into account Beriman's suspension for careless riding which expired at midnight on November 18, a stay of proceedings was granted effective to midnight on November 20.

Her appeal against the decision has been dismissed but the penalty varied to now expire at midnight on Friday January 14 2011.