Jockey Damien Oliver (Image: Racing Photos)
Damien Oliver will be sidelined for all four days of the Flemington Carnival and will miss the prized ride aboard Almandin in the $6.2 million Emirates Melbourne Cup after being handed a 20-meeting suspension for improper riding in Saturday's Labdrokes Cox Plate (2040m).
Stewards hit Oliver with the charge for his ride aboard Happy Clapper, finding that he deliberately rode his mount into three-year-old Royal Symphony to obtain a position with cover passing the 100m on the first occasion.
Oliver told stewards that he incorrectly anticipated that the rider of Royal Symphony, Dean Yendall, would steer his mount towards the fence instead of tracking eventual winner Winx in the three-wide line.
"It's a Cox Plate, there's a lot of adrenaline rushing," Oliver told stewards.
"Four deep outside Winx, what assort of race would I be riding.
"I thought it was safe to assume that Dean was going to the fence.
"I've tried it, it hasn't worked and he's pushed me back out."
Oliver missed several key Group 1 races during the 2016 Spring Racing Carnival as a result of a 20-meeting suspension for reckless riding. He was later forced to watch Almandin win the Melbourne Cup with Kerrin McEvoy in the saddle after being unable to make the 52kg handicap.
The 20-meeting suspension will see Oliver missing from racing until November 16. He has 48 hours to lodge an appeal with the RAD Board.
WATCH: Oliver's ride aboard Happy Clapper