Tahlia Hope appeals severity of suspension

Apprentice Tahlia Hope has appealed the severity of a two-week suspension for weighing in overweight after a race on Ballarat Cup day.

Hope was suspended for a total of 16 meetings – five metropolitan and 11 provincial meetings – after pleading guilty to weighing in more than 0.5kg above her declared weight after finishing second on Proud Wolf in a 1200m handicap last Saturday.

Proud Wolf was beaten a long neck.

Hope weighed out for the race at 52.4kg and weighed in at 53.2kg.

Her appeal against the severity of the penalty will be heard on Thursday.

Hope’s father Shannon Hope, who is the co-trainer of Proud Wolf, was fined $500 for changing the girth and adding a girth cover after Tahlia Hope had weighed out for the race.

Stewards’ said taking into account the weight differential for the changed gear was 0.2kg, Hope would still have come back overweight.