Jye McNeil to ride in Geelong Cup as he awaits date for Caulfield Cup fall inquiry

Jye McNeil has been cleared to ride at Geelong on Wednesday as he recovers from the shocking fall from Ohope Wins in the Caulfield Cup.

McNeil was taken to hospital after the fall which led to the death of four-year-old mare Ohope Wins, and the inquiry into the incident is not likely to take place until later this week.

Fellow hoop Mark Zahra was also taken to hospital after his mount, Caulfield and Melbourne Cup winner Half Yours, came down as well in the distressing incident.

Both jockeys were discharged from hospital on Sunday night, and although sore, escaped serious injury.

Half Yours sustained lacerations, but after treatment from veterinarians returned to the McEvoy stables at Flemington to recover. He is unlikely to run in the Melbourne Cup.

McNeil, who won the 2020 Melbourne Cup on Twilight Payment, will miss Tuesday’s Kyneton Cup meeting. But he will return to riding on Wednesday at Geelong, where he has five mounts, including Valiant King in the Geelong Cup.

A date is still to be fixed for the stewards’ inquiry into what caused the fall to occur in Saturday’s race. That inquiry will determine whether any rules of racing were broken.

For the inquiry to proceed, those jockeys involved in the incident and the stewards who heard initial evidence from riders Rachel King (Green Spaces), Jaberz Johnstone (Kings Valley) and Ethan Brown (Zahrann) need to reconvene.

The first step is for jockeys involved in a fall (in this case, McNeil and Zahra) to receive medical clearance that ensures they are physically and psychologically fit to provide evidence.

The panel then has to assemble in the one spot, with stewards preferring to go through the evidence and replays of the race with all affected in the room.

This is sometimes difficult if jockeys normally ride in different states, such as Sydney-based King, who is likely to ride in NSW this week.

Racing Victoria stewards will then, as a matter of course, release the findings of the inquiry. Under the rules of racing, any suspension incurred can be deferred for a maximum of nine days from when the penalty is determined, so owners and trainers who have booked jockeys are not penalised.

It is unclear when Zahra will return to riding, but he has been booked to ride Middle Earth in Saturday’s Cox Plate at Flemington and is expected to have clearance to ride by then.

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