Delay over apprentice Brooker’s appeal
Apprentice Tiffani Brooker has been replaced on several key runners at the Sunshine Coast after delays in getting a ruling on a stay of her suspension.
The final level for jockey appeals in Brisbane is now at the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal which does not give automatic stays of proceedings.
Brooker, second on the Brisbane apprentices’ premiership, is fighting a suspension imposed by stewards last month.
She failed at the first level of appeal and has taken her case to QCAT.
Brooker’s application for a stay was to be heard late on Wednesday with a decision likely on Thursday morning.
Chief steward Allan Reardon said Brooker had been replaced on her Sunshine Coast rides on Wednesday because she did not have a stay.
“Any rides she takes on Saturday and Monday will be subject to her stay application being decided before then,” Reardon said.
Brooker was replaced by apprentices for most of her Sunshine Coast rides except, ironically, Gheradini who is trained by her master Stuart Kendrick.
Gheradini has 63kg and senior rider Damian Browne takes the mount with no suitable apprentice available.
The problem has been exacerbated by several senior apprentices finishing their indentures this month.