Racing Victoria chairman of stewards Terry Bailey doesn’t mind jockeys having a drink, but not until the meeting is over, reports Racing Network.

Bailey said where stewards took exception to Michael Walker having a drink in the jockeys room on Saturday at Flemington was that the meeting had not finished.

An RV steward found Walker, who had finished riding for the day, drinking beer in the jockeys room before the final race.

Walker pleaded guilty to a breach of Rule 83 (a), which deals with misconduct, in that he was consuming alcohol in the jockeys room before a meeting had been concluded, and was fined $300.

Walker apologised for what he acknowledged was a “bad look” and explained he was unaware of the rule as jockeys are allowed to have a drink in New Zealand jockeys rooms when they have finished their riding commitments. 

Bailey said Walker obtained the beer from the fridge in a trainers' viewing area.

“Just because he (Walker) is finished it can’t interfere with the normal running of the race meeting,” Bailey said.

“As I said to him, ‘Imagine if every jockey who finished during the course of the day decided to have a beer in the jockeys room while the meeting was still in play.’

“Drinking (in the jockeys room) during the course of the day is not acceptable.”

Bailey said it was standard practice during the spring for the jockey who wins the Melbourne Cup or another big race to buy drinks for all his colleagues after the last race, but he invariably first seeks permission from the stewards.