Rising Star apprentice suspended for two months

Rising apprentice Cobi Vitler has been handed a two-month ban after being found guilty of running and handling in Tamworth last week.

Racing NSW had targeted the English-born rider after he rode the Cody Morgan-trained horse Bullawa Creek in the McDonalds Tamworth Country Boosted Class 2 Handicap (1000m).

The race committee charged Vitler under AR129(2) for failing to take all reasonable and permissible measures throughout the race to give his horse a full chance of winning or achieving the best possible placing.

Vitler held Bullawa Creek back at the start and allowed the gelding to drop back between the 700m and 400m marks, leaving him four lengths behind his rival Schwoon when the race officials felt he should have applied more force.

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Coach Cody Morgan is the coach of Bullawa Creek. Image: AAP Image-Simon Bullard

They also felt that he showed no determination from the 350m to the finish, leaving Bullawa Creek in ninth place, just over 2½ lengths behind the winner.

Vitler pleaded guilty to the charges and his three-month suspension was reduced to two months as a result of his guilty plea.

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The suspension will begin on Sunday 2 June and last until Friday 2 August.

Trainer Cody Morgan was also fined for various violations related to the same race after it was found that he had failed to inform racing officials by the nomination deadline that Bullawa Creek had undergone two operations – on October 31 and December 5 last year – for respiratory problems.

He was fined $750 and an additional $250 for failing to inform race officials of his instruction to Vitler to ride the gelding back to the pasture through an outside gate.

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