Mark Zahra is now free to ride Tentyris in the TJ Smith Stakes after sensationally winning a key ruling in the Victorian Racing Tribunal.
The tribunal changed key dates of the suspension, meaning the big-race rider can now resume riding Tentyris.
He will now trial the star colt in Sydney on Friday.
”Free now for the TJ, trial him tomorrow in Sydney and all systems go for Saturday week,” he told Betsy.
Zahra was suspended for 7 race meetings for excessive whip use on March 21.
But because of another suspension, Stewards ordered Zahra start his latest ban on April 1. It meant he would lose the ability to partner star colt Tentyris in the TJ Smith Stakes.
Zahra didn’t appeal the length of his ban but argued he should be allowed to change how he serves his suspension.
The key element for the Melbourne Cup winning jockey is that he argued the suspension should have started four days earlier, therefor making him available to ride in Sydney’s Championship racing.
He wanted to serve four days of his second suspension before his first suspension started, then the remainder once that first suspension ended. Such an arrangement would see him return to racing in time to ride in Sydney’s big races.
Victorian Stewards argued against Zahra’s application, saying their decision to make Zahra serve his suspensions as they determined were within the rules of racing.
Zahra’s lawyer also noted the suspension was harsher for the rider given he would miss several big race meetings in Sydney.
‘’[Changing suspension dates] would have allowed Mr Zahra to be able to commence riding again on 4 April 2026, whereby he had significant engagements at the Sydney Racing Carnival. Mr Zahra is a well credentialled jockey and is a noted big race jockey. Such a meeting was important for him,’’ lawyer Tony Hannebery said.
According the tribunal’s president Peter Reardon, ‘’although they may sympathise with Mr Zahra’s position, they have correctly stated many experienced and well credentialled jockeys have missed out on winning rides due to suspensions.
But the tribunal argued the way the suspensions were implemented was unfair on Zahra.
”The reality is that Mr Zahra does lose four days of possible suspension time if these suspensions imposed are served according to the Stewards timetable and thereby, not been able to ride on 4 April 2026,’’ Reardon said.
‘’Therefore, these penalties imposed at first instance might seem fair and reasonable but with some further reflection may not be viewed as proportionate and fair because of the delay in commencing the suspension it appears to have unintended consequences, namely, Mr Zahra would miss two major city meetings as opposed to one major city meeting.
‘’The Tribunal views that this can be seen as disproportionate and an unfair penalty, breaching the principle of totality.’’
The tribunal did not find the Stewards’ acted in error, but still ruled in Zahra’s favour.
‘’These penalties imposed at first instance might seem fair and reasonable but with some further reflection may not be viewed as proportionate and fair because of the delay in commencing the suspension it appears to have unintended consequences, namely, Mr Zahra would miss two major city meetings as opposed to one major city meeting,” Reardon said.
Reardon changed the date as the when Zahra’s suspension started, bringing it back to March 21, allowing the jockey to resume racing on April 3, and race in the TJ Smith Stakes.
