Danny Nikolic’s bid to ride again in Victoria far from finished

DANNY Nikolic’s bid to return to riding will drag on until April next year.

Danny Nikolic at the Melbourne Supreme court. Danny Nikolic to take on chief commissioner Graham Ashton over his decision to ban him from Victorian racetracks. Picture: Nicole Garmston

DANNY Nikolic’s bid to return to riding will drag on until April next year.

The disqualified jockey will have his appeal against Racing Victoria’s refusal to relicense him hear by the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal at a hearing starting on April 5.

VCAT has set aside three days for the appeal. A directions hearing for Nikolic and Racing Victoria has been set for February 3.

RV rejected an application in September for the former top jockey to ride in Victoria after telling him in writing that he was not considered a fit and proper person to be licensed.

Queensland Racing had days earlier also rejected his application to ride in that state.

Nikolic, 40, who was disqualified by the Racing Appeals and Disciplinary Board after being found guilty of threatening Racing Victoria chief steward Terry Bailey and his family at the Seymour races in September 2012.

He was also found guilty of verbally abusing steward Wade Hadley at a VCAT hearing, and was outed until midnight, September 30, 2015.

Nikolic was successful in the Supreme Court in October when he overturned an exclusion order imposed by Chief Police Commissioner Graham Ashton banning him from Victorian racetracks.

Racing Victoria said it would not alter its decision after Nikolic’s win in the Supreme Court.