Unhappy Oliver gets 14 meetings at Sandown

AAP - Thursday August 17

Champion jockey Damien Oliver will miss the first $1 million race of the new racing season after being handed a 14 meeting suspension at Sandown.

Advertisement
Damien Oliver wasn't happy to be suspended at Sandown on Wednesday. Photo: Darryl Sherer

Oliver's ban begins after Caulfield on Saturday and he doesn't return until September 3, a day after the Group One Memsie Stakes meeting at Caulfield.

He pleaded guilty, with mitigating circumstances, to causing interference aboard Redcore in the Sheamus Mills Bloodstock Handicap.

Stewards charged Oliver with shifting in onto Esperance (Craig Williams) near the 900m which resulted in Secret Reward (Brad Rawiller) being severely crowded and The Sword (Aaron Lynch) severely checked. The footage of the incident is below.

Oliver told stewards he had been used by Williams aboard odds-on favourite Esperance, who won the race, and blasted his fellow jockey.

"It was a selfish act," Oliver said.

"He's put two riders inside us in a dangerous position just for the sake of not being stuck three deep.

"You guys (stewards) aren't in a position to hear what goes on in the jockeys room, but I haven't had one jockey in the room say I wasn't stitched up.

"I've got no reason to put those guys in that situation in a race like this.

"Craig's call was late. If he had called earlier I could have done something sooner."

Chief steward Terry Bailey said stewards took into consideration Oliver's guilty plea and the circumstances put forward regarding Williams.

"But we can't get past that you were never clear of him," Bailey said.

Redcore was relegated from fourth to fifth after stewards entered an objection on behalf of connections for the interference.

Oliver has eight rides, including Group One winner Vega Magic in the Listed Regal Roller Stakes, at Caulfield on Saturday.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Second Wootton Bassett Son Added to Coolmore Stallion Roster for 2026
Set to join Camille Pissarro as the second G1 winning son of Wootton Bassett on the stallion roster for Ireland in 2026 is Henri Matisse, who this time last year was about to claim his first G1 victory at the Breeders Cup meeting at Del Mar.
Early Return Home for Cogburn
Group I winning Not This Time son Cogburn (USA) will return to WinStar Farm in Kentucky earlier than planned after disappointing fertility results during his first Australian covering season at Widden Stud.
A Century of NZB National Yearling Sales Success: Cox Plate
Moonee Valley’s A$6m Group One WS Cox Plate (2040m) is known as the weight-for-age championship of Australasia and has been won by many of Australia and New Zealand’s greatest thoroughbreds.
Doubtland 2YO All On Red Smashes Them Again at Ascot
Widden Stud's Doubtland has a potential 2YO topliner in Perth in the shape of exciting WA colt All On Red, who remains undefeated from two starts after another comprehensive Ascot Saturday win.
Good News Week for Geisel Park
Geisel Park’s black-type mare Laced Up Heels is in foal off a maiden cover to Champion Australian Sire Zoustar and an orphan foal has found a new mum.
Hi Yo Sass Bomb Wins G3 on Sunday
Kim Reid bypassed a Group One in favour of Sunday’s Gr.3 Gee and Hickton Funeral Directors Thompson Handicap (1600m) at Trentham with Hi Yo Sass Bomb, a decision that paid dividends when the mare led from the outset to claim her third stakes success.
Sires With Winners - Saturday October 25
Here is the full list of 136 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Sale Cup Winner Adds to Fastnet Rock Super Weekend
It’s been quite the weekend for the late great champion sire Fastnet Rock with a Cox Plate quinella on Saturday and then on Sunday he produced a new stakes-winner when seven year-old gelding El Rocko captured the $200,000 Listed Sale Cup (1600m).
Undefeated 3YO King of Light Wins Listed Belgravia
Dan Morton's exciting three year old King Of Light (Earthlight) remains unbeaten in three starts, as the gelding graduated to stakes company with a scintillating first up victory in the Listed Belgravia Stakes on Cox Plate Day at Ascot.
Yes Yes Yes 3YO Shooting for G2 on Monday
Last year’s Gr.2 James and Annie Sarten Memorial (1400m) set Savaglee up for Group One glory in Christchurch, and Matamata trainer Pam Gerard is hoping to follow a similar blueprint in 2025 with her Yes Yes Yes 3YO Affirmative Action..