Damien Oliver and Darren Beadman are the frontrunners to ride Pompeii Ruler in the A$2.8 million ($3.64 million) Singapore International Cup if Craig Newitt fails to have a careless riding suspension reduced on appeal.
Newitt lodged an appeal with Queensland Racing Limited yesterday against the severity of a 10-meeting suspension
incurred in the listed Prime Minister's Cup at the Gold Coast last Saturday.
He did not seek a stay of proceedings.
Newitt rode the Mick Price-trained Rightfully Yours who was relegated to second on protest.
He pleaded guilty to the careless riding charge but appealed in the hope of having his sentence reduced to enable him to ride Pompeii Ruler, last-start winner of the group one Queen Elizabeth Stakes, in the Singapore International Cup on May 17.
Price will wait until Newitt's appeal is heard next Tuesday but has spoken to Beadman about riding Pompeii Ruler in Singapore while Oliver rode the 6-year-old in a Caulfield gallop yesterday.
"I'll wait and see the outcome of Craig's appeal first but Damien Oliver rode him at work today while Darren Beadman also has been spoken to about the ride," Price said last night.
"No decision has been made either way about who will ride Pompeii Ruler if Craig can't."
Price said Rightfully Yours would miss Saturday's group one BTC Cup (1200m) at Doomben which marks the return to Brisbane of last year's winner Apache Cat, to be ridden by Oliver.
Apache Cat narrowly beat Vormista in last year's BTC Cup before going on to win the group one Doomben 10,000 (1350m).
Rightfully Yours will have his next start in the group three BTC Sprint at Doomben on May 16.
- AAP
