NIKITA McLean today vowed to repair a fractured relationship 

NIKITA McLean has vowed to repair a fractured relationship with younger sister Jackie Beriman after the Racing Appeals & Disciplinary Board effectively halved her five month suspension, reports TVN's Racing Network news.

It says: The RAD Board allowed McLean’s appeal against the severity of a five month suspension for physically assaulting Beriman at Hamilton on April 14.

RAD Board chairman Judge Russell Lewis said McLean’s suspension would now end on June 30, not September 14 as Racing Victoria stewards imposed.

Lewis said McLean’s career is now in “her own hands” and warned if she reoffended it would place that career in jeopardy.

He said steward’s placed too much emphasis on McLean’s previous misconduct conviction for punching Stacey Rawiller at Echuca races in 2009, an indiscretion that saw her suspended for two months.

Lewis said not enough weight was put on McLean’s emotional and mental state given the unique set of circumstances that prevailed at Hamilton on April 14 when she, her estranged husband Brad McLean and Beriman, who slept with her husband, were all in the same place at the same time.

Nikita McLean said she was “appreciative and relieved” by the finding of the RAD Board.

“I’m committed to try and restore my relationship with Jackie and will work hard to achieve that,” McLean said.

“I’m further committed to ensuring that the conduct of all riders in the female jockey’s room is professional and in keeping with the work place standards that apply in 2013.

“I urge all riders, male and female, to support Jackie and myself and all riders in general so we can present a work place that is safe, friendly and professional.”

McLean said Racing Victoria, the Victorian Jockeys Association and industry deserve such conduct at each and every meeting.

During today’s appeal hearing, Judge Lewis described the case as “unique” as it involved betrayal by McLean’s husband, which he said was “aggravated and magnified” because the other person was Beriman, her younger sister.

“Betrayal and infidelity set this off,” Judge Lewis said.

"It was a gross betrayal on behalf of the sister.”

Judge Lewis described Beriman as the “cuckoo in the nest”.

He said the catalyst of McLean punching Beriman in the face outside the female jockey’s room at Hamilton was when her husband tapped her on the backside in the mounting yard.

Patrick Wheelahan, appearing for McLean, said her client broke down in tears when she returned to the female jockey’s room and the sight, not long after, of her sister naked added to her fragile emotional state.

Wheelahan said the five month suspension equated to a $70,000 fine, which he described as "manifestly excessive".