Alexander slams 'absurd' ban given to Jack Andrews for not riding out for eighth

Nick Alexander has called the decision of the Perth stewards to give young rider Jack Andrews a two-day suspension for failing to ride out a horse for eighth place on Wednesday night extremely harsh.

Andrews, who partnered Landecker for the Kinneston trainer in Perth's Salutation Hotel Handicap Hurdle over three miles, appeared to stop riding halfway up the run-in, and the stewards deemed he had "failed to take all reasonable and permissible measures to obtain the best possible placing on a horse that would have finished eighth".

There was prize-money down to eighth place, and Alexander believes that to be a contributory factor in the stewards' decision.

"It's very harsh for an inexperienced jockey," Alexander said. "The horse was tired on the run-in. Jack is a fine young horseman, and my question is whether prize-money down to eighth place is influencing the stewards.

Jack Andrews: finished last of nine finishers on Landecker

"The horse was ridden exactly the same as on his previous start. It's inconsistency from the stewards. They should have just had a quiet word with Jack and left it at that.

"I think it's absurd. After all, who is disadvantaged by him easing up on a tired horse?"

Landecker, who had finished eighth of nine on his previous run at Perth, was last of the nine to complete the course on Wednesday. He was sent off a 20-1 chance under Andrews, who has had nine winners from 77 rides over jumps since his first mounts in the 2015-16 season.

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