Michael Kinane still has not decided yet whether to appeal against the ban ruling him out of the ride on double Derby winner Galileo in the King George at Ascot on Saturday week. He was suspended for two days (July 27 and 28) for careless riding at Leopardstown on Wednesday evening. If Kinane had been suspended for two days in Britain the punishment would have been deferred because there is a Group One contest on one of the days of his ban. However, the rules are different in Ireland.
Brian Kavanagh of the Irish Turf Club said: "He's got 48 hours in which to lodge his appeal. It's up to him really. If he does appeal it will be heard as quickly as possible. It will be a normal appeal situation. The decision was taken on the track. After any inquiry any decision can be appealed and the penalties can be different."
The stewards stressed that they had taken Kinane's good disciplinary record into account when handing out the two-day ban. Kinane did not receive any suspensions in Ireland last season and this is his first such punishment this term.
Former jockey Christy Roche, now a successful trainer in Ireland, missed the winning ride on St Jovite in the 1992 King George due to a ban but he believes that a reversal of the Leopardstown stewards' decision is possible. He said: "I think he's a chance of winning the appeal because I've always felt that the Irish stewards have looked at missing these big days as being very harsh punishment. In law you wouldn't be punished as much and they've always looked at them very favourably. Michael has a chance under the circumstances and I think an appeal is worth taking a chance on. He has a great record in Ireland as far as interference is concerned. He's very seldom in trouble. If there is a very careful rider I would say it was him."
Filed by Greg McKevitt
