O'Brien wins appeal Joseph O'Brien's apprentice title hopes received a huge boost after he was successful this evening in his appeal against a two day whip ban at Dundalk last month. Following a hearing of the Appeals And Referrals Committee at the Turf Club, the Ballydoyle teenager successfully overturned the original decision of the stewards at the Co. Louth polytrack. The race in question was the 1m4f 47-65 rated handicap on November 19 in which O'Brien's mount Mr Pianist just prevailed by the minimum margin over Sparring Partner. The Dundalk stewards found O'Brien had used his whip with excessive frequency but that verdict was overturned at today's hearing in front of a three person panel chaired by Mary Onions and also including Cahir O'Sullivan and Tom Rudd. Video evidence showed the Eddie Harty-trained winner had been hit 13 times in the straight but, in his defence, O'Brien pointed out that the horse had no markings and he had given the horse time to respond. The apprentice was accompanied at the Turf Club by his father Aidan, and represented in the appeal by solicitor Andrew Coonan who said afterwards, “I'm very pleased for Joseph and, looking back at the dvd, I thought that he gave the horse an excellent ride and rode right to the limit of the rules as they are defined in our rule book but didn't breach them.” He added, “I also feel that it further emphasises the benefit of the appeal system which we have for anyone that might be in doubt. It simply affords everyone the opportunity to revisit an issue in a fair and balanced way.” O'Brien, who missed nine racing days in the past few months through careless riding and whip infringements, has ridden 35 winners this season leaving him just two behind joint leaders Ben Curtis and reigning champion Gary Carroll. There are four more Flat meetings scheduled this season at Dundalk, with the campaign finishing up on December 10.
