Barry Geraghty has 30-day riding ban quashed on appeal

Barry Geraghty had his 30-day ban for his ride on Noble Emperor at Limerick quashed on Monday evening after a lengthy appeal at the Irish Turf Club.

The suspension would have ruled him out of riding at next week's Punchestown Festival.

The Gold Cup-winning jockey was hit with the ban after finishing second aboard the Tony Martin-trained eight-year-old in the www.limerickraces.ie Handicap Hurdle on April 3, a race won by Velocity Boy, who made all having opened up a big advantage on the field from an early stage.

Acting under Rule 212, which governs running and riding, the local stewards were of the opinion Geraghty had failed to take all reasonable and permissible measures to obtain the best possible placing, banning him for 30 days, with the horse prevented from running for 60 days and Martin fined 3,000 euro.

Martin appealed against his fine and owner JP McManus the horse's 60-day ban, with those appeals also successful as the appeal board agreed to overturn the original verdict and exonerate all parties, after a hearing that lasted over three hours.

Evidence was heard from Geraghty, Martin, Patrick Kennedy for McManus, journalist Donn McClean and fellow jockey Brian O'Connell.

Geraghty told the appeal board at the Turf Club that he would have been more likely to finish fifth than second had he tried to go with Velocity Boy and that the horses that had tried to go with the winner had paid the price.