Banned Kah’s surprise cameo at Derby Day
Banned jockey Jamie Kah has made a surprise cameo at Derby Day, raising questions about when the top rider will be able to return to the sport.
Victoria
Don't miss out on the headlines from Victoria. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Banned jockey Jamie Kah was spotted strapping a horse for the final race of Derby Day, raising questions about when the top rider will be able to return to the sport.
Kah was seen strapping and leading No. 14, Bless Her – who is trained by Kah’s fiance Clayton Douglas – around the mounting yard before race nine.
The five-year-old mare wound up finishing in 13th place.
Arguably Australia’s best jockey and the top-ranked female, Kah hauled in a mammoth 105 metropolitan winners this season, which saw her take out Victoria’s most prestigious racing award, the Scobie Breasley Medal, earlier this year.
The medal, named in honour of the first inductee into the Australian Racing Hall of Fame, recognises riding excellence at Victorian metropolitan meetings.
But in a fall from grace the 25-year-old was banned from the Victorian Spring Racing Carnival over a Covid-19 protocol breach.
Racing Victoria found Kah and fellow licensed jockeys Ben Melham and Ethan Brown, and apprentice jockey Celine Gaudray, breached protocols after they attended an illegal Mornington Airbnb gathering in August.
She was handed a three-month ban but copped a further eight-week sanction for giving false and/or misleading evidence to stewards.
Kah has been on a quest to clear her name, taking the matter to the Supreme Court of Victoria, with her fate hanging in the balance after Justice Niall QC on Thursday adjourned the matter for consideration.
The South Australian-raised jockey is fighting only the secondary charge and suspension, adamant her answers to all questions asked by stewards about the August 25 gathering were truthful.
Should Kah be unsuccessful in her appeal the two-month ban will see her rubbed out until late January, but if cleared Kah would be free to resume race riding from November 26.
‘Extorted’: Melb man stung with $15k bill for rental car roo crash
Newport man Mark Jensen claims a hire car company “misled” and “extorted” him after he received a $15,000 bill following a collision with a kangaroo during a holiday on the Sunshine Coast.
How Victorians can get $60k discount on their home buy
Victorian first-home buyers are being offered a whopping $60,000 off their purchase if they make their move in the next six weeks, and it could help address the state’s housing crisis. Find out more.