No blame in jockey’s fall, say stewards

TABLELANDS apprentice Rachel Shred’s nasty fall at Townsville in May has been declared a general racing incident, with none of the other riders suspended or fined.

Queensland Racing Integrity Commission stewards finally held the inquiry into Shred’s tumble on Sunday at Innisfail, which has sidelined the emerging hoop.

The 22-year-old Shred was originally facing almost 12 months away from race riding, but further investigations by doctors say she could be back riding light work in a month.

With several jockeys involved in Shred’s fall at a wet Cluden Park, many feared potentially heavy suspensions were on the way, but stewards could not pinpoint any of those involved.

“In viewing of the race-day film it was established the approaching the 1000m Foxy Feline laid in despite the efforts of rider Krysten Swaffer brushing Keighley Sun, ridden by Shred, which momentarily raced ungenerously and shifted in bumping Wanderson D’avila and Purple Grey on the hind quarters causing that runner to become unbalanced and shift out tightening the running of Keighley Sun which blundered, dislodging rider Shred,” stewards said in their report.

“As stewards could attribute no blame to any one rider no further action was warranted and the inquiry was finalised.”

Stewards heard evidence from apprentice Shred in the company of her master Janel Ryan and stable foreman Ronnie Ryan, apprentice Swaffer in the company of her master Trevor Rowe and jockey D’avila.

Stable foreman Ronnie Ryan, a former rider himself, noted that, after speaking with other jockeys that day at Townsville, many hoops were riding too tight for the wet conditions across the program.

“Hopefully Rachel will be back in just over a month on some light duties,” Ryan said.