Browse > Home / Racing, Sport / Mystery surrounds leading jockey

Mystery surrounds leading jockey

Posted on October 22, 2008, 8:08am

The immediate racing future of popular Millicent based jockey Paul Marks is clouded in secrecy, intrigue and mystery.

Marks was scheduled to ride Glaneuse at Allan Scott Park, Morphetville in the first race last Saturday but was stood down by stewards — and they’re refusing to say why.

All stewards have said so far is Marks is suspended indefinitely and even the jockey himself has been instructed to issue “no comment.”

Marks was the leading jockey in the Limestone Coast premiership until last Saturday and the simplest of questions to South Australian racing stewards earlier this week, drew nothing more than vague answers.

The Border Watch’s chief racing writer David Gilbert contacted Thoroughbred Racing of SA chairman of stewards, Graham Loch on Monday with the following conversation taking place:

Gilbert: “Is Marks under investigation by stewards?”

Loch: “May well be.”

Gilbert: “Will stewards be releasing a statement regarding Marks?”

Loch: “Not in the immediate future.”

The next plan of attack by The Border Watch was to contact Marks for his version of events.
This also drew a blank.

“I’m not allowed to say anything,” was all Marks said.

Speculation is rife in local racing circles that Marks may have attracted the attention of stewards when he rode the Barry Carraill trained Lightning Lilly and/or Booker Noah for Millicent trainer Kerrie Johnson at Morphetville on October 6.

A check of stewards report from that meeting reveal nothing to indicate any wrong doings by Marks.

Lightning Lilly finished second last in a field of nine after brushing against fellow runner Wendy Ellen at the start. But after jumping as the $18 outsider, finishing 8th in a city class field came as no surprise.

Tags: ,  

Comments

Comments are closed.