'What a circus': Uproar over 'terrible' twist in Melbourne Cup furore

Kerrin McEvoy has had his record $50,000 fine for excessive whip use in the Melbourne Cup slashed on appeal.

The jockey was initially hit with the largest fine in Melbourne Cup history after he was found to have struck Tiger Moth 13 times - eight more than allowed under the rules of racing - before the final 100m of the race last Tuesday.

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However on Monday the Victorian Racing Tribunal found that McEvoy’s fine was excessive in relation to penalties for similar offences.

The tribunal slashed the fine to $30,000.

McEvoy was also suspended for 13 meetings but only appealed the severity of the fine.

Tiger Moth went into the Melbourne Cup as the least-experienced horse and the Irish stayer was beaten a long neck by Twilight Payment.

McEvoy’s percentage for his mount finishing second was $55,000.

Judge says $50,000 whip fine ‘too excessive’

VRT chairman judge John Bowman said McEvoy’s penalty was far higher than any other handed out for similar offences.

“The general penalty has been approximately 50 per cent of five per cent of the prizemoney, ranging up to 55 per cent,” Bowman said.

“A fine of 90.9 percent of five percent of the stake money seems, to me, to be excessive.

“The financial penalty is varied to $30,000, which is, in percentage terms, approximately 55 percent of the five percent of stake money.”

The $50,000 fine was one of the most significant in Australian racing history, matching the penalty given to Greg Hall for improper riding after his win in the 1996 Golden Slipper.

The decision to slash McEvoy’s fine was met with a mixed reaction among horse racing fans and the general public.

Controversy continues at Melbourne Cup

The whip furore added to controversy surrounding the Melbourne Cup after Anthony Van Dyck became the seventh horse to die on Cup day in the last eight years.

The Irish horse became the latest international star to go amiss in the Melbourne Cup when the Aidan O'Brien-trained stayer faltered late in the race.

As Twilight Payment swept to an all-the-way victory, Anthony Van Dyck was retired from the race with a fractured fetlock.

The injury was so severe that veterinarians were unable to save last year's English Derby winner.

Racing Victoria's Jamie Steir said a fatality report that included the results of an autopsy would be prepared as per the regulatory body's welfare protocols.

“The report will include the findings of a post-mortem which will now be conducted by the University of Melbourne Veterinary Clinic and we expect it will be several weeks before we have a completed report for consideration,” Steir said.

with AAP

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