McDonald gains whip breach reprieve, cops $40,000 fine

James McDonald will be free to ride on Saturday week after the champion jockey had an excessive whip use suspension reduced from 10 days to six on appeal on Thursday.

However, the rider’s $20,000 fine imposed by Racing NSW stewards for infringing the whip rules when riding Fireball to victory in last Saturday’s $2 million Inglis Millennium at Randwick has been doubled by the NSW Racing Appeals Panel.

McDonald had pleaded guilty to striking Fireball nine times prior to the 100m mark and 20 times in total in the 1100m sales-restricted race. He earned $57,750 in prize money for the winning ride on the valuable Snitzel colt in the Inglis juvenile race.

The hefty $40,000 financial penalty in lieu of the extra four days suspension will enable McDonald to ride at Rosehill for the Apollo Stakes and Silver Slipper meeting.