Winks gets four meetings shaved off ban

James Winks has had a careless riding ban reduced on appeal for an incident in which fellow jockey Ethan Brown fell in a race at Moonee Valley.

Winks was suspended for 24 meetings after being found guilty of careless riding aboard Embrace Me in a 1200m race last Friday night.

Stewards ruled Winks failed to make sufficient effort to prevent Embrace Me from shifting out near the 50m when insufficiently clear of Brown’s mount Sierra Zulu, resulting in Sierra Zulu clipping the heels of Embrace Me.

Stewards also acknowledged that during the incident Sierra Zulu had a tendency to lay in.

Brown escaped the fall unharmed.

The Racing Appeals and Disciplinary Board on Thursday dismissed Winks’ appeal against the conviction but shaved four meetings off the penalty.

Winks’ 20-meeting suspension is due to start after he rides Mahamedeis in a 2040m-race at Moonee Valley on Saturday.