DWYER WITHDRAWS APPEAL BUT SLAMS 'REDICULOUS' SYSTEM

Graham Green reports in the Racing Post August 27 2007

MARTIN DWYER yesterday hit out at the British Horseracing Authority after claiming he had no alternative but to withdraw his appeal against a two-day careless riding ban incurred at Brighton last Tuesday.

The Derby winning rider, who was informed that the first available date for the hearing was this Friday – the day before his suspension was due to start – described the timetabling by the sport’s regulator as “ridiculous”.

Due to the 48-hour declaration system, to ride on Saturday Dwyer would need to commit to booking without knowing the outcome of his inquiry.

“There is no way you can commit yourself to trainers in that situation, so I have reluctantly withdrawn my appeal,” he said.

He added: “It’s absolutely ridiculous I have to wait TEN DAYS for a hearing when the ban begins the NEXT DAY. All they have to do is get the videos together, get the stewards together, and make a decision. I could have gone to London any time. I cannot understand why there has to be a TEN-DAY-WAIT for a hearing.

“Regardless of whether I committed an offence or not, the appeal system is there for a reason, and there is SOMETHING BADLY WRONG IF I CAN’T USE IT. No trainer was going to book me for horses this weekend, in case they’re let down.”

BHA spokesman Paul Struthers said: “We schedule disciplinary panel inquiries a month in advance and can be flexible when needs must, but the bottom line is to schedule a separate panel is difficult and INCURES COSTS.

“This has come up twice in relatively quick succession after Seb Sanders and his ban ahead of the Shergar Cup.

“Its something that has never really been raised as a problem before, but 48-hour decs have been in for a year and maybe they are starting to hit home as an issue. That is a possibility.

However, we’d always say that if we have an appeal at 9am on a Thursday, it is still perfectly feasible for jockeys to get bookings for the weekend.”

Struthers added: “If this is something the Jockeys Association brings up at our end-of-year-meeting, then clearly it is something we’ll consider if there is a problem.”

TURFCALL: THIS ISSUE NEEDS TO BE DEALT WITH NOW AND STRAIGHT AWAY