Collett suspended

Press, 2 June 1981, Page 28

Collett suspended

PA Dunedin The Gore jockey, Jim Collett, was suspended from riding next Saturday for causing interference to Grey Flight during the running of the Birthday Handicap, first leg of the T.A.B. double at the Otago Racing Club’s meeting yesterday. Collett, the rider of the Fleetwood Mac, was found by the judicial committee to have caused interference to Grey Flight near the 400 m. Grey Flight fell. Collett was found to have allowed Jiis mount to shift out when not sufficiently clear. Karen Thornley, the rider of Grey Flight was not injured. John Albert, the rider of Crown Jewel in the First Electric maiden, was fined $6O for causing interference to Nottingham Note in the run home. Crown Jewel was relegated from second to third.

Ellis Winsloe, the rider of Treb in the Otago Hurdles was fined $5O for allowing

his mount to shift ground inwards near the 400 m causing a check to Melfar. The stipendiary stewards found that Mellseur, the favourite in the Union Handicap, was slow away, deprived of a run at the 350 m and had to be taken to the outside where she was again crowded at the 200 m mark.

Raymond Bruce, rider of Final Surge, was charged with careless ■ riding as a result of the interference to Mellseur but the charges were dismissed.

Final Surge was found to have shifted in but the judicial committee ruled that horses on the outside of Final Surge were also shifting ground. Mrs K. Crowe, the rider of Samsmiuncle in the Otago Steeplechase was told before the chairman of the judicial committee that she must take more positive action to keep her mounts closer to the field. Samsmiuncle tailed off by several lengths in the early stages.