Star jockey Jamie Ka could face a significant ban ahead of the Melbourne Spring Carnival. The 28-year-old was accused on Monday of not giving his horse his best chance last month. Stewards inspected Let’sfacethemusic’s car in the McNeil Stakes at Caulfield on 31 August.
Stewards found Ka unable to accelerate due to the gap between the two horses in front of him, so he finished third and fourth, with Let’sfacethemusic ($8.50) fifth. “From about 175m to about 100m Mr Carr was unable to ride his horse with enough force or purpose to gain enough room and improve his position between Brothers and Stay Focused as was reasonable and acceptable,” the posted complaint says. It’s Monday. “And/or in the last 75 metres, Mr Carr failed to drive his horse hard enough, although this would have been reasonable and permissible.”
Given the seriousness of the charges, Ka will now appear before the Victorian Horseracing Tribunal, but a hearing date has yet to be set. When he initially explained himself to the managers, Kah admitted that he had not performed well at Caulfield throughout the meeting. He raced eight times, winning one race and finishing second in another. “I never felt like I was that good at driving,” Carr said. “I saw him moving in front of me. I wasn’t sure. I didn’t feel comfortable running. “I ran at that point in the race, not accepting a run that wasn’t there. I don’t think I can run long enough.”Phil Edwards, owner of Let’sfacethemusic, had no problems with Ka.
“(It was) a small field and I don’t think there was anywhere to go. One of the variables in the race didn’t work out the way we wanted,” Edwards said. “Things weren’t our way and they weren’t working in any way shape or form.”Ka has been one of Victoria’s best jockeys for many years and is expected to become only the second woman to win the Melbourne Cup. Michelle Payne was the only person to do so in 2015. Carr was sidelined for several months after suffering a head injury in a heavy fall during a race last March.
