Chris Munce wins appeal

Tuesday 1 October 2013, 1:05pm

Chris Munce has won his appeal against an improper riding charge.

Queensland's Racing Disciplinary Board (RDB) took less than five minutes to quash the charge and the one-month penalty imposed by stewards who alleged Munce altered his whip action aboard Platinum Mint to make deliberate contact with Magic Motion passing the winning post in a race at Doomben on September 14.

At Tuesday's appeal hearing, Munce represented himself before the three-man panel, chaired by retired Supreme Court judge Bill Carter.

"I'm extremely distressed by this charge and I strongly assert my innocence," Munce said.

Munce said there was no evidence to support improper riding, insisting he did not deliberately strike Magic In Motion, ridden by apprentice Anthony Allen.

Acting chief steward Daniel Aurish, who handed down the original penalty, said video evidence proved the contrary.

Carter asked Aurisch to explain what stewards believed was Munce's motivation in striking Magic In Motion.

"We think it's because the winner (Anna Lizzie) got up inside Anthony Allen and Chris Munce isn't happy that happened," Aurisch said.

"Chris Munce is a very competitive jockey, probably the best we have in Brisbane, and we say he's struck Anthony Allen as a strike out in distaste the winner got up on his inside."

After listening to Aurisch's evidence, Munce denied altering his whip action.

"The stewards seem to be inferring a lot of things (and) they can infer all they like," he said.

"At the end of the day all I was doing was riding my horse out to the line to win the race."

Carter said the panel wasn't convinced Munce deliberately set out to hit Magic In Motion and the stewards' case did not meet the required standard of proof.

"This is the point which has troubled this board," he said.

"The state of evidence ... does not persuade us to the required standard.

"We think it was not open to the stewards, on all of the circumstances of this case, to come to such a conclusion."

– AAP

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