Jockey Jai Shankar has his one-year disqualification reduced to a four-month suspension following an appeal here today.

Shankar was on Feb 8 found guilty of a charge under MRA Rule 44(7) in that whist riding PROVIDENCE, trained by Lim Hoon Seng, in a Class 5 - 1100m handicap here on Jan 25, he prevented PROVIDENCE from running on its merits.

The particulars of the charge were that at the start of the race, Jockey J Shankar gave PROVIDENCE insufficient rein, restrained the gelding and thereby prevented PROVIDENCE from starting on terms with the field and causing this gelding to lose considerable ground at the start.

Shankar was disqualified one year and fined RM50,000.

The Penang Turf Club racing stewards heard his appeal today. 

After hearing the evidence of Shankar and his witnesses, and the submissions of his counsel and the acting chief stipendiary steward, the racing stewards allowed Shankar’s appeal but from the evidence adduced, the Racing Stewards amended the charge to MRA Rule 44(9)(b)(iii) for incompetent riding in that when Shankar rode PROVIDENCE in Race 2 at the Penang Turf Club Meeting on Jan 25, made insufficient effort to allow PROVIDENCE to jump on terms with the rest of the runners thereby losing ground at the start, which, in the opinion of the Racing Stewards, is a deviation from the normal standard of his riding expertise.