Racing Victoria (RV) Stewards this morning interviewed licensed trainer and jockey Michelle Payne in relation to comments she posted on Twitter on Tuesday, 29 October.
The comments were subsequent to Brae Sokolski, managing owner of Thought of That, announcing that Mark Zahra had been selected to ride the colt in Saturday’s Victoria Derby in place of Linda Meech.
Ms Payne plead guilty to Australian Rule of Rule Racing 228 (d) which states:
A person must not engage in publishing or posting on any social media platform or channel any material, content or comment that is obscene, offensive, defamatory, racist, threatening, harassing, discriminatory or abusive to or about any other person involved in the racing industry.
The Stewards found Ms Payne’s comments to be offensive towards Mr Sokolski when she stated ‘not for the public to decide but the public can recognise you as a pig’.
After considering Ms Payne’s guilty plea and her prior offences, Stewards have issued her a fine of $1000.