PENANG,  15 April 2006

Jockey Nicholas Selvan, who is awaiting appeal on a one-year disqualification handed to him in January, has been further disqualified 18 months for his handling of SUCCESS VICTORY in Penang last Saturday.

(Selvan was disqualified one year and fined RM30,000 for his handling of CUT THE DEAL in a Class 3, Div 2 - 1200m sprint in Ipoh on Jan 8. The appeal has yet to be heard.)

SUCCESS VICTORY (4 ch.nz.g Bijou D'Inde - Regal Sceptre by Vice Regal), trained by Lee Yoke Bill, came from near last at the home turn to finish fifth to PONY EXPRESS in the Class 5, Div 2 - 1200m sprint.

At the conclusion of an inquiry today, was found guilty of a charge under MRA Rule 144(2) in that whist riding SUCCESS VICTORY in the said race, he failed to take all reasonable and permissible measures to ensure that SUCCESS VICTORY was given full opportunity of winning or of obtaining the best possible placing.

The particulars of the charge were that:

1. After a bad start, and after being slowly away after initially chasing his horse up, at about the 1100m, he took a hold of his horse and failed to make sufficient effort to improve his position from about the 1100m to the 400m when there were opportunities to do so.

2. After entering the home straight from about the 300m to the 200m, he sat quietly on his mount.

3. From about the 200m to approximately about the 50m, he did not ride his horse, SUCCESS VICTORY with sufficient vigour and determination.

4. In the concluding stages of the race just prior to the finish, he stopped riding his mount out.

The Stewards, after considering the provisions of MRA Rule 144(5), disqualified Selvan from riding in races for a period of eighteen months with immediate effect.

Selvan subsequently exercised his right of appeal and applied for a stay of sentence, which was not granted. The appeal would be held at a date to be fixed.

In addition to the above, Jockey Selvan was found guilty of a charge under MRA Rule 234(F) in that he attempted to mislead the Stewards at this inquiry by advising the Stewards that he had received his riding instructions for the horse SUCCESS VICTORY outside the jockeys' weighing room by the unsaddling enclosure just prior to going to the parade ring, from trainer Lee. However, after having reviewed the video replays, this was found to be untrue. Selvan was fined the sum of RM5,000 and was advised of his right of appeal.

Lee pleaded guilty of a charge under MRA Rule 234(F) in that he attempted to mislead the Stewards at this inquiry by advising the Stewards that he had given Selvan the riding instructions for the horse SUCCESS VICTORY outside the jockeys' weighing room by the unsaddling enclosure just prior to going to the parade ring. However, after having reviewed the video replays, this was found to be untrue. Lee was also fined the sum of RM5,000 and was advised of his right of appeal.