Jockey Stathi Katsidis' dream run has continued but this time away from the racetrack with a successful appeal against a careless riding suspension.Katsidis was suspended for seven meetings by stewards after being found guilty of careless riding aboard the winner Cicarelli in a Class Three Plate (1500m) at Eagle Farm on July 8.He subsequently appealed to Queensland Racing's first level appeal board and while riding on a stay of proceedings won three Listed races, the Toowoomba and Grafton Cups b
Jockey Stathi Katsidis' dream run has continued but this time away from the racetrack with a successful appeal against a careless riding suspension.
Katsidis was suspended for seven meetings by stewards after being found guilty of careless riding aboard the winner Cicarelli in a Class Three Plate (1500m) at Eagle Farm on July 8.
He subsequently appealed to Queensland Racing's first level appeal board and while riding on a stay of proceedings won three Listed races, the Toowoomba and Grafton Cups before scoring on Jacqueline Rouge in last Saturday's Tattersall's Mile (1600m) at Eagle Farm.
Katsidis, who represented himself at Tuesday's appeal hearing, was delighted with the result.
"It's the first time I've ever won an appeal and I'm ecstatic," he said.
"It was 50-50 but I'm glad it went my way.
"I was always confident I could win the appeal as the interference only occurred because the leader stopped in its tracks in front of me that day."
Since resuming his troubled career on July 4, Katsidis has won 14 times from 47 mounts.
He was sidelined for 14 months with injuries and a drug-related disqualification before returning to the saddle for the Queensland Cup meeting at Eagle Farm.
Katsidis is now free to fulfil engagements at Doomben on Saturday which include Surf's Up and Hey Elvis for Gold Coast trainer Bruce Hill.
Katsidis confirmed he had rejected an offer to ride fulltime for trainer Clarry Conners in Sydney but hasn't ruled out a move interstate in the future.
"Unless I get an offer from Gai Waterhouse or Darley I'll stay in Brisbane for the time being," he said.
"I had an offer from Clarry and I'll go down and ride for him and some of the other stables during the spring carnival but I'd like to stay in Brisbane for the time being.
"Eventually I'd like to go to Melbourne to ride but I'll be riding here in Brisbane for at least another season."
Meanwhile, Larry Cassidy has returned to riding trackwork following a bout of pneumonia.
"I'm feeling a lot better and I rode work yesterday and again today," Cassidy said.
"The body is a bit sore but that's to be expected.
"I'm still looking at riding tomorrow week but my fitness is not there just yet."
Cassidy will have chest X-rays on Wednesday and will see a respiratory specialist at Brisbane's Prince Charles Hospital next Monday before resuming riding.
Cassidy spent four days in hospital with pneumonia earlier this month after contracting it while on a family skiing holiday at Perisher in the Snowy Mountains.
The illness ended any plans the jockey had of making a late challenge for Brisbane's riding honours this season.
Cassidy, who only started riding in Brisbane in January, has 36 wins in the jockeys' premiership, one win behind second-placed Brad Pengelly and 12 behind runaway leader Shane Scriven.