Tarrant’s title hopes fade away
QUEENSLAND apprentice Luke Tarrant was given a stern rebuke as his dream of winning his first Brisbane jockeys premiership was crushed yesterday.
Tarrant’s appeal against a reckless riding ban was dismissed, ending the farce of him riding at the Queensland winter carnival on a long stay of proceedings.
The apprentice is second in the senior riders premiership with 57 winners, seven behind Jim Byrne, with just over a month of the season to go.
He will not ride again this season after the Racing Disciplinary Board threw out his appeal against a reckless riding ban on Jumbo Prince in the Group 3 Grand Prix Stakes at Doomben on May 23.
The appeals board cut Tarrant’s suspension from six to four weeks but he was given a bake by Racing Disciplinary Board chairman Brock Miller.
“It was amazing there was not even worse interference, but that was more through luck,’’ Miller said.
Chief steward Allan Reardon told Tarrant his actions in the Grand Prix were not good enough, as written evidence was tendered from rival jockeys including Hugh Bowman that Tarrant’s ride was on the worst side of reckless.
Tarrant is already suspended from a separate incident at Ipswich and the fourweek reckless riding ban means he will not ride again until early August.
The apprentice has played Queensland’s appeals system to his advantage and has been riding for several weeks on a stay of proceedings.
He has ridden several winter carnival winners in that period, including Ipswich Cup winner Danchai.