Oliver banned after failing breath test
Champion jockey Damien Oliver has been suspended for almost one month after failing a breath test during the famous Grand Annual race meeting at Warrnambool.
Oliver was stood down from riding on Thursday when he registered 0.038 on his initial Racing Victoria stewards’ breath test and 0.035 on a secondary one with the legal limit set at 0.020.
He pleaded guilty during a stewards’ inquiry and he will be out of the saddle until June 3.
Jumps jockey Paul Hamblin has also been suspended for failing a breath test.
Hamblin has been banned for one month after being stood down, forcing his mount Shiny Manners to be scratched from the first race.
Oliver was booked for two Group One mounts at Morphettville on Saturday, but new riders will be needed for Asinara in the Australasian Oaks and Vezalay in the Robert Sangster Stakes.