The Craig Williams suspension affair is a joke on racing. What other industry would sideline one of its biggest stars on the eve of the nation's greatest sporting event? The question has to be asked: What on earth did Williams do to deserve a suspension of 10 meetings? It was a minor race, the interference was low on the seriousness scale...and why could the matter not have been dealt with via a hefty fine? As things now stand, Williams has to win an appeal on Monday or miss out on the spring ca
The Craig Williams suspension affair is a joke on racing. What other industry would sideline one of its biggest stars on the eve of the nation's greatest sporting event? The question has to be asked: What on earth did Williams do to deserve a suspension of 10 meetings? It was a minor race, the interference was low on the seriousness scale...and why could the matter not have been dealt with via a hefty fine? As things now stand, Williams has to win an appeal on Monday or miss out on the spring carnival meetings - and connections of Dunaden have to ask a jockey in France to be on 'standby' to fly out for the ride! Officialdom gone nuts!
Japanese-based French jockey Christophe Lemaire is booked to fly to Australia to replace Craig Williams if the Aussie jockey fails to beat a careless riding charge incurred on Wednesday at Bendigo. Williams's 10 meeting suspension starts after Derby Day on Saturday. He's appealing. Chief Steward Terry Bailey says: 'All indications are that appeal will be heard tomorrow...I'm 99 percent sure it will be 10.30 am tomorrow.'