Ben Allen loses careless riding appeal

Melbourne’s leading apprentice Ben Allen will miss the next three metropolitan meetings after failing in his appeal against a careless riding ban.

Allen was suspended for a total of nine race meetings at Wangaratta last Tuesday but lodged an appeal and rode on a stay of proceedings last weekend pending the outcome of Monday’s appeal.

The nine-meeting ban means the 17-year-old, who has already ridden 19 city winners this season, will miss the metropolitan meetings at Mornington on Wednesday, Moonee Valley on Friday night and Flemington on Saturday.

Allen is leading the apprentices’ premiership in Melbourne this season and sits fourth on the overall jockeys’ standings in Melbourne behind star hoops Dwayne Dunn (26), Craig Williams (25) and Damien Oliver (20).

He rode a winning double at Flemington on Saturday on the Darren Weir-trained Lyuba and Ozi Choice.