The Appeals Body (Division Two) N.B. Wachman (in the Chair), Sean Barry and Philip Caffrey met at the Turf Club, The Curragh, Co Kildare on Wednesday, 19th August 2015 to consider the appeal of Ross Coakley, rider, against the decision of the Stewards at Galway on 1st August 2015. On that date the Stewards found the rider to have ridden carelessly in the closing stages of the “Ladbrokes Red Day Handicap”. As a result he was suspended for two race days.

His grounds of appeal were that he did not ride carelessly in the particular circumstances of the race.

Evidence was heard from Ross Coakley. The Appeals Body also considered a transcript of the evidence from the original enquiry and viewed a film of the race.

In his evidence Ross Coakley said that he received a bump from So Sensible, ridden by Pat Smullen, as a result of that horse receiving a bump from Sister Slew, ridden by R.P. Downey, when the latter horse drifted to the right.  He said this unbalanced his horse with the result that he then bumped into So Sensible twice.  Ross Coakley said he kept a straight line in the latter stages of the race and he did not feel there was any need to pull his whip through.

When questioned in relation to the evidence he gave at the original enquiry where he submitted on four occasions that he had moved left, Ross Coakley said he was nervous in the Stewards room and it was only when he reviewed the race subsequently he realised that he was not to blame for what had occurred.

Having considered the evidence the Appeals Body found that there was interference, but it was not caused by Ross Coakley.  As such they allowed the appeal.

The case was presented by Denis Egan, Chief Executive of the Turf Club. Ross Coakley was represented by Andrew Coonan, Coonan Cawley Solicitors, Naas, Co. Kildare.