Michael Kinane still does not know whether he will be riding the odds-on Galileo in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes at Ascot on Saturday.
Kinane's appeal against the two-day careless riding ban was adjourned this evening at the Irish Turf Club on the Curragh following an initial hearing that lasted an hour-and-three-quarters.
"The hearing is adjourned to 10am in the morning following legal submissions and the unavailability of two witnesses," said Kinane's solicitor Andrew Coonan, secretary of the Jockeys' Association.
The committee, it is understood, did not reach the substantive issue of the Leopardstown race in question last week following which Kinane received his first suspension for 18 months that is due to come into effect today and on Saturday.
The hearing concentrated on the legal submissions from both sides, Kinane being represented by Coonan and the Turf Club by their vastly-experienced solicitor Brian Price.
A Senior Counsel, John McBratney, also represented the Turf Club while Mr Philip O'Connor was the legal assessor available to both sides.
The witnesses who were not present for this initial hearing were two of Kinane's weighing-room colleagues Niall McCullagh and Declan McDonogh, while the three members of the Appeal and Referrals Committee on duty were Michael Hickey (in the chair), Cahir O'Sullivan and Frank Hardy.
Earlier in the day the same committee, though with different personnel, disqualified Young Whack which had won a Beginners Chase at Navan on May 12.
The horse's urine sample taken after the race was found to contain nicotine, a prohibited substance under Rules, which the committee was satisfied was administered unknowingly and accepted that the horse's trainer Noel Meade "had taken all reasonable precautions to avoid a breach of Rule."
Annaghmore Gale, coincidentally a winner earlier this week of a similar contest at Ballinrobe for the Dessie Hughes stable, was promoted the winner on the Young Whack's disqualification. - PA