Pat Eddery`s dream of regaining the jockeys` title remains alive after a lucky escape at York today.
The 11-time champion narrowly avoided a long whip suspension after riding a storming finish on Kalanisi, who was beaten just a head by Giant`s Causeway in the Juddmonte International.
He was referred to Portman Square and stood down for 10 days after breaching the whip rules on the same horse in last month`s Coral-Eclipse Stakes at Sandown.
And a season-wrecking repeat looked on the cards when he was called before the stewards to explain his use of the stick today, having hit his mount 12 times in the last furlong and a half.
But this time Eddery avoided a summons to London - introduced this year for riding offences in Group One races - and will instead serve just two days` suspension (August 31 and September 1) for 'excessive frequency'.
Stewards secretary Jeremy Ker explained: 'It is not automatically referred to Portman Square after an offencein a Group One race - the rule says it should be, not it will be.
'It depends on the severity and nature of the case and the stewards felt in this case it was not a matter to refer to Portman Square.
'Pat said Kalanisi was responding but he wasn`t penalised for hitting a horse who wasn`t responding but for excessive frequency.'
Eddery, who had earned a lengthy whip ban when winning the International on One So Wonderful two years ago, is 4-1 third favourite for the jockeys` title with Victor Chandler, who quote Kevin Darley at 4-6 and Richard Quinn 2-1.
All three were out of luck on the opening day of the Ebor meeting.
