Damien Oliver was a relieved man after the Racing Appeals and Disciplinary Board upheld his appeal against the severity of a one-month suspension, varying the penalty to a severe reprimand.The champion jockey had been outed by Racing Victoria Limited (RVL) stewards for returning a positive test to the prohibited substance ephedrine on Derby day at Flemington on October 31.The positive urine sample resulted from a herbal supplement which Oliver had been taking for the past nine years.He had been

Damien Oliver was a relieved man after the Racing Appeals and Disciplinary Board upheld his appeal against the severity of a one-month suspension, varying the penalty to a severe reprimand.

The champion jockey had been outed by Racing Victoria Limited (RVL) stewards for returning a positive test to the prohibited substance ephedrine on Derby day at Flemington on October 31.

The positive urine sample resulted from a herbal supplement which Oliver had been taking for the past nine years.

He had been tested five times previously without any issues.

However, ephedrine was placed on RVL's list of banned substances last year without Oliver's knowledge.

RADB chairman, Judge Russell Lewis, said the board accepted that Oliver had no reason to believe he was in breach of the rules by taking the preparation known as thermolift.

RVL published details of its decision to add ephedrine to its list of banned substances in the October 2008 Inside Racing magazine and sent an email notifying Victorian Jockeys' Association chief executive Des O'Keeffe of the rule change.

However, the RADB found that the relaying of such information was less than satisfactory.

"The board is of the view that the system and method of communication of the rules of racing, to riders in particular, falls well short of what should be expected of the governing body of racing," Judge Lewis said in his findings.

He recommended that RVL give urgent attention to the problem.

Oliver said he felt vindicated by Monday's appeal result.

"(I'm) probably relieved more than anything. I probably felt a bit awkward that I was put in that position in the first place," Oliver said.

"And if I'd known that I couldn't take the product that I was taking, I certainly wouldn't have taken it in the first place.

"I felt I was entitled to be warned that I couldn't take it and it brings to light that the communication details aren't up to scratch from RVL and it needs to be addressed and if I have to go through this for all the jockeys to be aware of that, then so be it."

Oliver said it was now business as usual.

He has been booked to ride Sniper's Bullet in the Kingston Town Classic at Ascot on Saturday and Apache Cat in the Hong Kong Sprint at Sha Tin on December 13.

Nash Rawiller, who won the Railway Stakes aboard Sniper's Bullet at Ascot earlier this month, is required to ride at Rosehill this Saturday for leading trainer Gai Waterhouse.