Richard Quinn's chances of landing a first jockeys' championship title suffered a blow today when the Scot was handed a six-day suspension - with a further two days deferred until the end of September - at a Jockey Club Disciplinary Committee hearing.
Quinn had been referred to Portman Square by the Royal Ascot racecourse stewards when adjudged to have used excessive force in securing fourth place for Shibboleth in the St James's Palace Stakes.
As the offence was committed in a Group One race, Quinn could have received a maximum of a ten-day ban at today's hearing.
Had that option been taken, Quinn - who had not received a suspension for a whip offence for three years - faced missing out on riding Shiva on July 8 in the Eclipse, for which the mare is favourite.
Instead, Quinn will be sidelined from Friday until Wednesday July 5, missing Sunday's Budweiser Irish Derby.
'Any reduction on the maximum 10 days is a bonus,' he admitted.
Quinn told the Disciplinary Committee that Shibboleth, who swished his tail during the St James' Palace Stakes under the whip, did so only because he is an inexperienced colt.
'I was not trying to use excessive force,' he added after the inquiry.
'Shibboleth showed resentment to the whip but it was the first time that he had seen it on a racecourse and only the third time he had run. It was inexperience.'
The Jockey Club stewards found Quinn to be guilty of improper riding in that he used the whip in his right hand with excessive force.
In addition to avoiding the maximum 10-day ban, Quinn was successful in having a £1,000 fine for failing to line up on Beat Hollow in his mount's correct position for the pre-Derby parade quashed.
The Jockey Club stewards accepted Quinn's explanation that he was delayed in receiving the leg-up on Beat Hollow as a victim of circumstances beyond his control and removed the penalty imposed on the day by the Epsom Racecourse stewards.
