Jockey Celine Gaudray will face a delayed start to her 2025 campaign after being suspended for 16 meetings for careless riding during Saturday’s races at The Valley.
The penalty was handed down after Gaudray’s mount, Jenni Gone Bonkers, shifted out approaching the 300m mark in the second race.
The movement, which occurred without sufficient room, led to Green Spaces being severely impeded. The horse stumbled after being tightened for space between Jenni Gone Bonkers and another runner. Additionally, Yule Point, following closely behind, was also checked and lost balance as a result of the incident.
Despite the interference, Jenni Gone Bonkers recovered to finish third, starting at $7 odds with the top online bookmakers for the win.
Moonee Valley Race 2 (Drummond Golf Handicap) Replay – Field Of Play
Stewards assessed the interference as significant and cited Gaudray’s recent history of careless riding penalties when determining the suspension. Despite acknowledging her guilty plea, the severity of the incident placed it at the high level of carelessness.
This ruling caps a difficult month for Gaudray, whose riding record has seen limited success with only one win in her past 31 attempts. She will be sidelined from December 30 through January 13, after which she can return to the track.
Elsewhere on the same card, a dramatic moment unfolded during the fourth race involving jockey Patrick Moloney. While riding Stormbourg, Moloney attempted to manoeuvre through a tight gap but was forced to pull back sharply to avoid a potential fall.
Stormbourg, which had been difficult to control and hanging throughout the race, was eased up in the final stages and finished at the rear of the five-horse field. Moloney later explained that his plan to follow the winning horse, Just For Show, on the home turn was disrupted by Stormbourg’s tendency to shift inward.
Stewards reviewed the interference near the 100m mark and determined that the primary cause was Stormbourg’s racing manners, though a slight outward movement by another runner, Princess Que, was noted.
As a result, Stormbourg must now complete a satisfactory jump-out under the supervision of stewards before being cleared to race again.
Following the incident, Moloney underwent a medical examination and was stood down from his remaining rides on the day as a precaution.
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