Jockeys Charged Over Scales Incidents

The Racing Appeals and Disciplinary Board has fined a pair of Melbourne jockeys on charges relating to attempts to falsify their riding weights.

Stewards charged Ryan Maloney with a breach of AR 175 (a) alleging he conducted an improper action by deliberately removing the girth from his saddle and concealing it inside his helmet and weighing in without the girth at Geelong on July 16.

Maloney pleaded guilty to the charge before the RAD Board fined him $500.

Brian Higgins faced a similar charge under AR 175 (a) after stewards established Higgins placed his riding gear against the head of the scales to affect the weight displayed after he rode in the Height Insurance Agency Maiden Plate (1309m) at Seymour on July 29.

Stewards also charged Higgins with a breach of AR 145 after Higgins weighed in 1.5kg over his riding weight after the same race.

Higgins pleaded guilty to both charges. The RAD Board fined the rider $600 on the improper action charge but decided not to apply a penalty on Higgins’ other charge.