Racing: Rider blamed as Reveley wins appeal

Mary Reveley succeeded yesterday in her appeal to the Jockey Club disciplinary committee against the £2,200 fine for schooling in public handed out at Wetherby on Saturday over the running of Florida Rain in a novices' hurdle. Reveley argued that the conditional jockey Barry Walsh, who did not appeal against his five-day ban, had not ridden to her orders after suffering a bad fall earlier in the day.

"After Barry had that fall I simply don't think he was capable of carrying out my instructions," Reveley said.

Tony Dobbin failed in his attempt to overturn a 10-day ban, the longest of his career, which rules him out of next week's Cheltenham meeting. Dobbin was banned at Kelso last Saturday for causing intentional interference on Fiori in a chase.

"I'm very disappointed," Dobbin said as he left the hearing. "They told me that it had been a momentary abberation in my career and that it was minimal."

Scottish Memories put himself in contention for the Champion Hurdle by sluicing through atrocious going to win at Down Royal yesterday. The six-year-old had his task eased by the withdrawal of Davenport Milenium due to the ground. Cashmans retain the winner at 25-1 for the Champion behind Hors La Loi III, Ned Kelly and Davenport Milenium at 12-1.