Josh Cartwright has been riding in South Australia and is a chance to win this years Metro Jockey Premiership.
Camera IconJosh Cartwright has been riding in South Australia and is a chance to win this years Metro Jockey Premiership. Credit: News Corp Australia, Peter Ristevski

Josh Cartwright in limbo as stewards delay inquiry into Senoir Council ride

BEN SCADDENThe Advertiser

EMBATTLED jockey Josh Cartwright will not learn his fate until February 13 at the earliest.

It was expected Cartwright would receive his penalty next week after the jockey pleaded guilty to reckless riding when he intentionally collided with two rival runners at Morphettville last Saturday.

But Thoroughbred Racing SA on Friday announced the inquiry would not resume until February 13 — and could extend into the following day if required. Those days have been chosen to align with the schedule of Cartwright’s Sydney-based lawyer, Wayne Pasterfield.

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Pasterfield has represented clients in many high-profile racing cases, including media commentator Richard Callander and star jockey Hugh Bowman.

He has spoken out against stewards’ decision in the past and last year issued an apology to Racing NSW stewards following comments he made on Twitter regarding media coverage of the Callander case.

The decision to extend the Cartwright case by more than three weeks has met mixed reactions by the racing industry in South Australia.

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While trainers and jockeys have been directed by TRSA stewards to not comment on the inquiry, a racing participant said they were comfortable with the timing as long as the right result was delivered.

Josh Cartwright has been charged with reckless riding.
Camera IconJosh Cartwright has been charged with reckless riding. Credit: News Corp Australia, Peter Ristevski

“I don't think it matters if it takes a few weeks,” he said. “He (Cartwright) is basically already suspended, anyway, because he can’t ride at all, not even in trackwork. I’d rather the stewards get all the information they need. It’d be different if he was riding — but he’s not.”

But two-time Melbourne Cup-winning jockey John Letts said he would prefer the case to be resolved as soon as practical.

“The longer this lingers, the longer racing is in the headlines for the wrong reasons,” Letts said. “We need to get it over and done with. We don’t want it there. We want it settled as quick as we can. We want it out of the system so it can become old news.

“Racing doesn’t need this negativity. There are plenty of positive things happening in the industry and we need to switch the focus back to those things as soon as possible.”

While Cartwright has refused to discuss the incident, sources close to the jockey said he had “gone out of his way” to apologise to those directly impacted by his actions.

Jockeys Jason Holder and Matthew Poon, the jockeys whose horses were poleaxed by Cartwright, also have declined to comment about the incident.

Meanwhile, Norwegian apprentice Anna Jordsjo, Cartwright’s girlfriend who rode the winner of the controversial race, is not expected to return to race riding until at least Wednesday.

Jordsjo had been booked to ride at Friday’s Port Lincoln meeting and at Morphettville on Saturday. But the jockey has been advised by doctors to stay out of the saddle until at least Monday after having a trackwork fall on Wednesday.

Jordsjo suffered some facial abrasions after being thrown from smart galloper Benz when he shied at a fox that ran across his path.

ben.scadden@news.com.au