Sanders case leads to ban rules amendment
Published: 24/05/2004 (racingpost.co.uk) Graham Green
SEB Sanders can take the credit for helping engineer a change in the rules designed to benefit rank-and-file jockeys, writes Graham Green.
From today, riders found guilty of minor offences will be allowed to serve their suspensions even if the dates clash with Britain's Group 1/Grade 1 races.
Previously, jockeys incurring one or two day bans that sidelined them for races of this stature have automatically received a stay of execution.
While this policy has proved popular with the star names who would view the potential loss of earnings through missing a big winner as disproportionate to their punishment for little more than a misdemeanour, it worked to the disadvantage of Sanders last year. He picked up a one-day ban at Chester in September, but was unable to serve it as scheduled on October 2 because of the Group 1 Cheveley Park Stakes. With the Group 1 Middle Park Stakes being staged on October 3, Sanders was forced to sit out the Cambridgeshire card on October 4, when he would have had several fancied mounts.
Now, following representations from Sanders and the Jockeys' Association, Instruction H16, headed `Effective Days For Riding Suspensions', has been modified to enable jockeys to request that, after receiving one- or two-day bans, the suspension is not dictated by the big-race exemption.
Sanders said: "Although the Group 1 rule often helps jockeys, it didn't do me any favours on that occasion, but the Jockey Club were sympathetic and I am grateful that they have now changed it."
Jockey Club spokesman John Maxse said: "As before, if a jockey gets a ban of two days or less, he won't be suspended on the day on which there is a Group 1, or Grade 1, race in Britain.
"Now the rider, within 48 hours after the imposition of the suspension, will be able to register his desire to serve it on one of those dates."