Sydney jockey Tommy Berry has won a significant reprieve from the Hong Kong Jockey Club Appeal Panel.
The Panel heard an appeal from Berry via a teleconference link from Sydney on Wednesday evening against the severity of a month long suspension imposed by HK stewards at the international meeting at Sha Tin on December 8. Berry was suspended for 10 Hong Kong meetings from December 15 to January 16 after the stewards found him guilty of not riding a 3rd placer out to the finish.
Berry pleaded guilty but lodged an appeal against the severity of the suspension. It was a bid to be allowed to ride at the Magic Millions carnival at the Gold Coast on January 11.
The Appeal Panel upheld Berry’s appeal and cut the suspension to finish on January 6, freeing Berry for the ride on Echo Gal for Gai Waterhouse in the $2 million Magic Millions Classic.