Jockey Michael Kinane still remains in the dark about whether or not he will be able to ride Galileo in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes at Ascot this Saturday. Kinane's appeal against a two-day ban for careless riding, which was imposed at Leopardstown last week, was adjourned by the Irish Turf Club at the Curragh after an initial hearing that lasted an hour-and-three-quarters.
"The hearing is adjourned to 10am in the morning following legal submissions and the unavailability of two witnesses," explained Kinane's solicitor Andrew Coonan, secretary of the Jockeys' Association. Today's element of the hearing concentrated on the legal submissions from both sides, Kinane being represented by Coonan and the Turf Club by their vastly-experienced solicitor Brian Price. The witnesses who were not present for this initial hearing were two of Kinane's weighing-room colleagues Niall McCullagh and Declan McDonogh.
Johnny Murtagh has been put on stand-by to ride Galileo in Saturday's prestigious event should Kinane's appeal fail.
Filed by Amanda Fennelly
