Champion Hong Kong jockey Douglas Whyte wants to fly to Western Australia late on Thursday night to defend in person the serious charge of not riding the Perth-trained Scales Of Justice out to the finish in last Saturday's group 1 Kingston Town Classic.
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In a rare move by a visiting international jockey, Whyte is determined to plead his case in person before stewards on Friday afternoon, when the hearing into the incident resumes.
West Australian racing's chief steward Brad Lewis confirmed Whyte was trying to book a flight back after Wednesday night's rich International Jockeys' Championship.
Lewis said he told Whyte his plan to return to Ascot was "highly professional", and it would make the hearing easier than if using a link-up between both racing jurisdictions.
The 13-time Hong Kong champion jockey will fly in between the two biggest days of that territory's race meetings.
Lewis said there was no extra loading on the charge, after a news report claimed Whyte faced an automatic 10-meeting loading as well as his final sentencing.
"That only applies to careless riding charges or whip misdemeanours. It is not applicable here," Lewis said.
To complicate matters, the managing part-owner of Scales Of Justice, Chris Wells, will be in Hong Kong on Friday to attend the international carnival. Lewis hopes he can speak to Wells on a conference call.
Perth trainer Lindsey Smith and the owners of the high-class galloper have maintained they were happy with Whyte's ride, with Smith adding: "[He was] beaten fair and square."
Late on Saturday night Whyte was charged with not riding out Scales Of Justice in the final stages of the $1 million Kingston Town Classic.
According to stewards, Whyte did not ride out his mount in the final two strides.
Scales Of Justice went down by a short half-head to Victorian galloper Stratum Star.
Much of the evidence built up by stewards relates to a Hawk-Eye replay that neither Smith nor the owners have seen.
Chief steward Lewis stopped the inquiry when it was discovered that Smith and the owners had left Ascot and were not afforded the opportunity of seeing the Hawk-Eye vision.
Deputy chief steward Harold Taylor, who viewed the race from the head-on tower, said he believed Whyte stopped riding momentarily and misjudged the finishing post.
In evidence, however, Whyte said: "I never stopped riding the horse at all, my left hand hasn't stopped moving, his [Scales Of Justice] momentum doesn't stop. I couldn't get any more out of the horse."
