Racing Victoria stewards have accepted an explanation from leading apprentice Jason Maskiell over his ride on Zacroona after the Lee Freedman stable took exception to his handling of the gelding at Sandown.Freedman's racing manager Sam Pritchard-Gordon said the stable was unhappy that Maskiell pushed forward three-wide on the five-year-old from the start when there appeared to be an opportunity to be one off the fence outside the winner Black And Bent in Wednesday's Paris Handicap (2400m).Stewar

Racing Victoria stewards have accepted an explanation from leading apprentice Jason Maskiell over his ride on Zacroona after the Lee Freedman stable took exception to his handling of the gelding at Sandown.

Freedman's racing manager Sam Pritchard-Gordon said the stable was unhappy that Maskiell pushed forward three-wide on the five-year-old from the start when there appeared to be an opportunity to be one off the fence outside the winner Black And Bent in Wednesday's Paris Handicap (2400m).

Stewards took evidence from Maskiell who argued he would have been three-wide anyway had he decided to ease back.

He said he became aware from Zacroona's past jockeys that the horse had a breathing issue and was concerned that restraining him would have caused him to choke down.

Maskiell, who is a clear second on the Melbourne jockeys' premiership behind Luke Nolen, said Zacroona was relaxed as he went forward to challenge for the lead out of the straight and had "his ears pricked the whole time".

Zacroona was under the whip before the home turn and a beaten horse early in the home straight, fading to finish second last.

Pritchard-Gordon said Maskiell only looked across just once to find a position before the turn out of the straight and that the horse was left without cover.

Stewards' chairman Mark Hill said that Maskiell had continually mentioned the horse's breathing issues and the panel was satisfied to accept that it was "very much utmost in his mind".

"Clearly looking at the film he could have perhaps sat back outside Black And Bent ... but how that would have panned out we do not know," Hill said.

He said Maskiell was given free rein with regard to instructions that if there was no pace he could go forward.

"To the naked eye it may not look like the best ride we have ever seen but we can understand the situation Jason found himself in," Hill said.

Last-start Galleywood Hurdle winner Black And Bent was sensationally backed from $9 to $4.60 favouritism and, ridden by Nolen, unwound a powerful finish from near last to score by 1-1/4 lengths from Searing Heights ($5.50) with Celtic Empire ($8) a half-head away third.

"Last year when he was racing over jumps he didn't have the stamina to do that sort of thing," trainer Robert Smerdon said.

"He has come ahead in leaps and bounds."

Smerdon said Black And Bent would have his next start in the Winterset Hurdle on June 2 leading up to the Australian Hurdle and the Grand National Hurdle.

Meanwhile, Black And Bent's half-brother, star jumper Some Are Bent, will school at Cranbourne next Monday after he fell in the Grand Annual Steeplechase earlier this month.

Some Are Bent won the Brierly Steeplechase at Warrnambool two days before the Grand Annual and is again targeting the feature steeplechase races this season.