Michelle Payne plans to fight a 20-meeting suspension Racing Victoria stewards issued following a Moonee Valley Gold Cup that saw Chad Schofield fall, reports Racing Network.
Payne also incurred a 10-meeting suspension on a careless riding charge from the Crystal Mile. She reserved her plea in that inquiry.
Chairman of stewards Terry Bailey ordered that both penalties be served concurrently.
Payne, who won the Moonee Valley Gold Cup on Prince Of Penzance, was suspended from until November 13.
She was found guilty of riding subsequent Moonee Valley Gold Cup winner Prince Of Penzance where there was insufficient room, which placed Schofield in restricted room where he clipped heels and fell.
Payne told stewards she felt she had been “unfairly treated” and noted that Dwayne Dunn, riding Epingle, “clearly shifts in and he wasn’t asked about that”
“How come I am getting the blame?” Payne asked.
“Why is there a run and why does it shut? Two riders shift and I’m getting all the blame.”
Bailey told Payne the charge against her is that she should not have ridden into what was conceded was a gap for a “skinny horse”.
“There was insufficient room,” Bailey said.
Payne told stewards they had ignored “other contributing factors”.
“If no one shifts I’m through that gap and no one falls,” Payne said.