Camaraderie between jockeys went out the window during a tense inquiry into interference suffered by exciting colt Royal Symphony at Flemington on Saturday.
Royal Symphony was involved in two separate incidents early in the Pin & Win Plate (1400m), which led to the colt getting back to a difficult position before he rallied late to remain unbeaten.
Royal Symphony's jockey Dwayne Dunn was furious after the race, criticising the riding of his rivals early in the event before continuing to voice his displeasure in the stewards' room.
"It was just rude and uncalled for," Dunn said of Ben Melham's riding of Mighty Boss in the first 200m of the $120,000 race.
"The outside horse moved in and bashed me and then did it again. I had to relinquish the spot."
Dunn and Melham debated riding styles leading into the first turn. Dunn was unhappy that Melham rode his mount into Royal Symphony and held him in what he said was a dangerous position for a few strides.
But Melham wasn't having a bar of Dunn's argument.
Melham said it was in fact Dunn that created a dangerous situation by steering Royal Symphony out from a three-wide line while the rest of the field was moving into the first turn.
Melham asked stewards whether Dunn had any right to move out but he couldn't ride Mighty Boss in to find a position before the pressure came from the outside.
"Why is he allowed to come out to meet me but my horse can't shift in at that point?" Melham asked stewards.
Stewards sided with Dunn, charging Melham with careless riding. Melham pleaded not guilty to the charge and told stewards Dunn's riding was equally careless.
"He's put himself in danger, put me in danger and I'm sitting here facing this charge," Melham said.
"It's dangerous him riding out. Someone had to give or I would have got chopped from horses on the outside."
Stewards rejected an annoyed Melham's argument before suspending him for 12 meetings, telling the rider they did not accept his evidence that Dunn shifted out on Royal Symphony.
Melham's ban will start at midnight on Sunday but the jockey will be able to return for the Moir Stakes meeting at Moonee Valley on September 29.
Melham said he would "let the dust settle" before deciding whether to appeal the penalty.
