McKeown to appeal against ban Jockey Dean McKeown will appeal against a seven day suspension he picked up at Newcastle over the running and riding of the Pat Haslam trained Wensley Blue in the second division of the Cantor Sport `Supremacy Point` Maiden Auction Stakes. The stewards took the view that Wensley Blue, who finished fifth, twelve and a half lengths behind the winner Sharp Respite, had `been tenderly ridden throughout` in the seven furlongs test. McKeown will be sidelined on October 12,13 and 15-19 inclusive, while Haslam was fined #1,000 and Wensley Blue was banned from running for 40 days, Oct 6 to 14 November inclusive. He was suspended under Rule 158 which governs a rider taking all reasonable and permissible measures throughout the race to ensure that a horse is given the full opportunity of obtaining the best possible placing. Haslam was found to be in breach of Rule 155 ( I ) and (11) which states that every horse shall be run on its merits and that a trainer should ensure adequate instructions are given to achieve that objective. At the inquiry McKeown stated that his instructions had been not to be too hard on the gelding and Haslam`s representative confirmed these instructions and `expressed himself satisfied` with the ride the jockey had given the gelding. McKeown was furious with the outcome and said: 'I am upset and will definitely appeal, they think that every horse must be ridden the same and you must ride every race the same. I did what was best for the horse, he has been hanging in his races but the way I rode him today he did not hang. 'He has run his best race and whatever I would have done he would not have finished any closer. 'They said I should have been more vigorous and flopping about, but that would have made no difference, and if I had he would have gone into the winter with bad thoughts of the game and spoiled for next year.'
