Hugh Bowman will launch an appeal against the severity of one of the harshest Melbourne Cup sanctions in the race's history as the owners of Marmelo insist his weighing mishap didn’t cost the English-based stayer victory on Tuesday.
Fairfax Media understands Bowman has a date with the Racing Appeals and Disciplinary Board next week after copping a 35-meeting ban for three separate rule violations from his ride on runner-up Marmelo.
Appeal: Hugh Bowman was suspended for 35 meetings after finishing second in the Melbourne Cup on Marmelo.Credit:AAP
It is set to cost Winx's jockey potentially lucrative mounts in both Hong Kong and Japan over the next month. Bowman was set to defend his Japan Cup crown on November 25.
The stiffest of Bowman's three sanctions came for weighing in 1kg overweight on Marmelo, which was beaten just a length by the Godolphin-owned Cross Counter.
The charge is set to be the focal point of his appeal against the suspension, which could still pave the way for him to enjoy a stint in Asia.
The jockey told stewards he had "no explanation" for the weight discrepancy, which was the subject of much debate in the hours after the race.
If you asked me after the race do I reckon it cost us the race? I don't think so. And if it did, I can't do anything about it
Marmelo's trainer Hugh Morrison told SEN the 21-meeting penalty for the weight infraction was "harsh" while the horse's part-owner Aziz Kheir, who also races fourth placegetter Finche, leapt to Bowman's defence.
"If you asked me before the race would we be happy [with Bowman coming in 1kg overweight]? Our answer would be no," Kheir told Fairfax Media. "If you asked me after the race do I reckon it cost us the race? I don't think so. And if it did, I can't do anything about it.
"But we're not sitting here gutted about the situation and wondering if it would have been a different result. He's a credit to himself and it was such a masterful ride. It was probably the ride of the race. It didn't feel like it cost us the race.
"We're proud of our horse, proud of our trainer and proud of our jockey."
Heavyweight hoop Bowman had parched himself to ride Marmelo's weight of 55kg in the Melbourne Cup, which is right on his minimum range. He has already lost group 1 rides on Brave Smash and Latrobe on the final day of Flemington's Melbourne Cup carnival.
Chief steward Robert Cram told Australia's leading group 1 rider his effort in the Melbourne Cup incurring so many penalties "was not up to standard", having also sanctioned Bowman for careless riding (12 meetings) and a whip breach (eight).
A quarter of the Melbourne Cup's 24 jockeys, including the first three riders across the line, were hauled before stewards to explain excessive use of the whip.
Racing Victoria's integrity chief Jamie Stier described the number of Cup jockeys caught up in whip inquiries as "disappointing" on Wednesday, promising a review of whether the penalties were harsh enough.
Kerrin McEvoy was hit with a $3000 fine for his use of the persuader on Cross Counter.
Jockeys are only allowed to use the whip five times on their mounts before the 100-metre mark of any race and not in consecutive strides.
"From our point of view it's never going to be ideal and we understand the image of the sport is very important," Australian Jockeys Association chairman Des O'Keeffe said. "Whether that rule does what we set out to achieve is always open for debate, but on the whole it works really, really well."
Marmelo could return for a third straight tilt at the Melbourne Cup after being part of an English trifecta in the race.
"It wasn't in our initial plan, but after speaking to Hughie Morrison [on Wednesday] morning he's very upbeat about going again," Kheir said. "He's got no doubt that the horse can do it again."
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