Buffering owners to pay $5000 fine imposed on jockey for winning ride in Winterbottom Stakes

THE owners of Buffering will pay the $5000 fine Damian Browne incurred for his winning ride in the Winterbottom Stakes.

THE owners of Buffering will pay the $5000 fine Damian Browne incurred for his winning ride in the Winterbottom Stakes.

Browne's third straight Group 1 triumph on Buffering was soured when he was slapped with the hefty penalty and a one-month suspension for causing interference to Barakey and jockey Jason Brown.

Rival jockey Chris Munce was so stunned by Browne's punishment that he took to Twitter yesterday and posted: "What a joke brownie copping a fine and suspension. The bloke on barakey should have been rubbed out for stupidity.'"

Trainer Rob Heathcote said of the suspension: "I"m disappointed because the penalty hasn't fitted the crime. Yes, it"s a G1 race, and yes, there"s interference, and yes, he should have copped a penalty, but the severity of the penalty I find quite extraordinary.

"At end of day to fight it would mean he"d have to stay here (in Perth), and he'd have to front a hearing, and blah, blah, blah. It's probably in the 'too hard' basket.

"Giving him a three-week suspension, that"s a hefty penalty for a rider of his stature, but why throw in a $5000 fine? That I find quite extraordinary.

"But owners of Buffering are going to pay it anyway.

"Without wanting to stick the boot into Jason Brown _he'd be feeling quite shitty anyway _ but he made an error, if had he sat on the tail of Buffering, he probably fights it out with Buffering."