Racing: Carson breaks free of Oaks ban

Willie Carson's Epsom gamble paid off yesterday and he can now ride next Friday in what may well be his final Oaks.

The 53-year-old jockey successfully appealed at the Curragh yesterday against a five-day ban which would have ruled him out of the fillies' Classic on the first day of the three-day Derby meeting.

Had Carson's appeal failed the Irish stewards could have extended the ban - forcing him to miss the Derby too. But a beaming Carson emerged from yesterday's hearing saying: "The stewards have been very kind to me.''

The ban had been imposed for wearing an unapproved helmet during his Irish 1,000 Guineas victory on Matiya last Saturday.

Carson is now free to ride the John Dunlop-trained Bint Salsabil in the Oaks. In fact, he can resume riding from Tuesday at the end of a seven- day ban awarded by the Lingfield stewards, following his riding of Kamari at the Surrey track on 18 May.

Before returning from Ireland the jockey explained: "I wore the wrong helmet by mistake, it was not deliberate that the incorrect one was packed in my bag. I was worrying about other things on the day."

Carson once more gave a broad hint that retirement from the saddle could be this year: "I am very excited. I can now look forward to the Oaks which might be my last Oaks. Now I'll be asking Mr Dunlop how the filly's going."

Carson gave evidence at the appeal as did Dr Walter Halley, who reported Carson for wearing the unapproved headgear after seeing it on a table in the Curragh weighing room when Carson was weighing in after Matiya's win. John Harvey, the clerk of the scales also appeared before the hearing.

Afterwards, a grim-faced Dr Halley refused to comment as he left the Irish Turf Club and got into his car.

Philip Lafarge, the stewards' secretary, emerged with the comment, "glorious in defeat" - believed to be a reference to the technical nature of the verdict.

Other officials of the Turf Club refused to comment on the verdict but they will look long and hard at the embarrassing decision and the definition of the notice referring to skull caps in the Racing Calendar.

In their official announcement of the verdict, the stewards said they were satisfied that Carson had ridden in a skull cap with a lesser specification than that currently required under the rules.

But they noted that: "the technical specifications for all approved skull caps were inaccurately defined in the notice to all trainers and riders regarding skull caps in the Irish Racing Calendar of March 7 1996.''

The officials warned Carson to be more careful in the future to ensure that he meets the standard of equipment specified by the Club and to keep himself acquainted with changes to the rules and regulations.

The Scotsman was represented by Co Kildare solicitor Andrew Coonan. Turf Club officials would have noted that the rider was also accompanied by Angus Gold, racing manager to Matiya's owner Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum.

Carson left the controversial, well-worn helmet he used last Saturday behind him. "I've left it here because I certainly don't need it anymore. Somebody might get something for it at a celebrity auction or the like."

n The French Group One winning filly Luna Wells is virtually certain to stay at home and contest the Prix de Diane on Sunday week rather than run in the Oaks at Epsom two days earlier. Luna Wells had come in for support in the Oaks ante-post market since giving Andre Fabre a fifth consecutive win in the Prix Saint-Alary - in which she beat her stablemate Miss Tahiti a length and a half - at Longchamp earlier this month.