Senior jockey cops huge suspension for role in Toowoomba tie up stall stoush

Veteran hoop Bradley Appo has been suspended for three months for dangerous riding towards apprentice Sariah Champkin during track work, which ultimately saw him get slapped by the apprentice in the tie up stalls.

Jockey Bradley Appo was slapped with a three-month ban for his trackwork actions.

Veteran jockey Bradley Appo has been rubbed out of racing for three months over his role in a trackwork incident at Toowoomba last month.

Stewards found Appo was riding dangerously towards apprentice jockey Sariah Champkin during work, when he drove his mount onto the heels of hers on the morning of July 1.

Champkin, and a group of jockeys, were riding “babies”, when Appo was found to have begun “race riding” his horse behind theirs, causing them to fear for their safety and causing a significant injury to one of their horses.

It is then an altercation broke out between Appo and Champkin, with the apprentice jockey slapping him in the tie-up stalls after trackwork after confronting him about his riding.
EARLIER:

A female apprentice has been fined and suspended for 13 days after she slapped a senior male rider following allegations of dangerous riding during trackwork at Toowoomba.

Sariah Champkin, 23, was handed the suspension in a stewards’ inquiry, where it was revealed veteran bush hoop Bradley Appo had been “digging” his horse up onto the heels of Champkin, and a number of other young riders who were riding “babies”, causing the apprentice jockey to take it up with him in the tie up stalls after work.

With past bad blood between the pair, Champkin told stewards about the incident, which happened last month, she felt targeted and worried for her safety when Appo began “race riding” his mount towards her and her other riders.

Multiple witnesses told stewards Appo had plenty of time and space to safely pass Champkin and her fellow riders.

After consulting with her master Tony Sears, Champkin approached Appo in the tie up stalls later that morning, recording the interaction, where Appo is heard numerous times saying “go away.”

In the recording, Champkin can be heard saying “what were you doing? … (you were) putting people’s lives in danger” before telling Appo not to touch her.

Stewards found Bradley Appo to be riding in a dangerous manner towards others.

“Bradley, what are you doing on the track (repeated) – there’s rules (repeated) …. Don’t touch me, don’t f***** touch me. Do not touch me you touched me first. Why did you do that? …. you can’t do that,” the recording revealed.

“I’m on record anyway ... f***** learn how to ride (repeated) … There’s rules … There are people’s lives ... you can’t cut people off at the gap … You are ridiculous, you pick on women and (indistinct) is writing a report.”

Champkin admitted to stewards to making contact with Appo’s eyebrow with an open hand in response to him grabbing her left arm but denied she hit him multiple times.

Appo denied the allegations put to him by stewards, saying he is always “out there to look after younger people” and disputed claims he was “testing the new apprentices out.”

Stewards ultimately found Appo created a “potentially dangerous” situation that could leave Champkin and her fellow riders shaken and fearful.

Originally published as Senior jockey cops huge suspension for role in Toowoomba tie up stall stoush