Bowman sanctioned for whip breach in Cup

– Hugh Bowman will miss a month of racing after being hit with a whopping 35-meeting suspension following his ride on Marmelo in the Lexus Melbourne Cup yesterday.

Bowman was cited on three separate charges in the A$7.3 million race – an incident of careless riding at the just over two furlongs (400m) from home, excessive whip use prior to the final 200m and the fact that he weighed in more than 0.5kg over his prescribed weight of 55kg aboard runner-up Marmelo.

Marmelo looked the winner when he hit the front at the 400m pole but was run down late by Cross Counter, who eventually won cosily by a length.

Stewards found him guilty on all three charges and issued separate suspensions of 12 meetings for careless riding, eight meetings for whip use and 21 meetings for the weight infringement.

The respective bans totalled 41 meetings, however, stewards, at

Melbourne

their discretion, ordered the ban to stand at 35 meetings.

The four-time Cox Plate-winning rider will miss the prized mounts of Latrobe in the Mackinnon Stakes and last-start Manikato Stakes winner Brave Smash in the Darley Classic on Saturday. The ban will also see him sidelined for Group 1 meetings in Hong Kong and Japan, also ruling out a defence of his Japan Cup scalp of 2017.

Bowman, who didn't rule out an appeal against the severity of the suspension, will be free to return for the Hong Kong International meeting in mid-December.

Five other jockeys, including winner Kerrin McEvoy, were fined for breaching the whip rule in the Melbourne Cup. McEvoy was fined A$3000 after using the whip nine times in the final 400m on Cross Counter.

Jim Crowley and Christine Puls were suspended for careless riding on the undercard at Flemington. – The Highveld Horse Care Unit were among the recipients who benefited from the generous mood at Turffontein Racecourse last Saturday when the Peermont Emperors Palace Charity Mile was run.

A cheque for R1,390,000 was handed over by Freda Moloi, Phumelela’s Company Secretary, to Ashley Ness from the Highveld Horse Care Unit. The money is made up of contributions for various provinces.

The Highveld Horse Care Unit is the largest equine welfare organisation in South Africa and was established in 1991. They get involved in any matters relating to equine welfare from re-homing horses and donkeys, investigating and resolving cruelty and neglect complaints, owner education and medical treatment.