Racing: Balding loses appeal

TOBY BALDING has lost his appeal over Koraloona's failure to be awarded the amateurs' race at Windsor last Monday, but his protestations resulted in an increased penalty for the winning rider that day, Victor Lukaniuk.

Lukaniuk, riding Premier League, drifted in front of Koraloona, but although the Windsor stewards found that the jockey was guilty of careless riding they decided that Premier League had not improved his placing as a result of interference and, to Balding's disgust, allowed the result to stand.

The Jockey Club Disciplinary Committee yesterday backed that decision and dismissed Balding's appeal but decided his appeal was not frivolous and ordered his deposit to be returned. However, they increased Lukaniuk's suspension from four to six days.

Balding said: "We didn't lose anything in appealing as we got our deposit back. It was a matter of opinion and you have to have a try at these things."