ADRIAN DUNN reports in the MELBOURNE HERALD SUN that AJA chairman Ross Inglis said inexperienced jockeys should be given the benefit of the doubt in the early stages of their career.
Inglis said mature-age apprentice Rodder had been charged for what ostensibly was a bad ride.
He said the stance taken by Racing Victoria stewards in the case was disappointing.
Rodder, 27, was suspended for six weeks for her ride on Serene Tanie at Moonee Valley on November 19.
She had ridden Serene Tanie to the instructions of trainer Robbie Laing, Inglis said.
He said it was "not encouraging" for apprentices to be charged with failing to take all reasonable and permissible measures to obtain the best possible placing.
"It just stands to reason. You look at any sport and they will always give young people the benefit of the doubt," Inglis said.
"It is very disappointing they would target any young apprentice in circumstances such as this. I don't think it is appropriate when they have made an error in judgment.
"I don't think it is encouraging.
"What I think should have happened, given she admitted it was an error of judgment, is that Talia should have been directed to sit down with the review committee and taken through what she did wrong and given some advice as to what she should have done."
David Grace, QC, assisted by Peter Jurkovsky, will appear for Rodder at the appeal.
Dayle Brown, the RVL integrity services manager, will appear for the stewards.
With chairman of stewards Terry Bailey on holidays, Allan Reardon will shoulder the stewards representation.
Inglis said Rodder had been charged for what ostensibly a "bad ride".
He said Rodder had ridden Serene Tanie as per the instructions issued by trainer Robbie Laing.
"It's all very well if you go to the front and nothing else is challenging you then it's easy to get the horse to come back under you, but sometimes that doesn't work either," Inglis said.
"Jimmy Cassidy wanted Illo to come back under him in a Melbourne Cup, but it did not. Once a horse gets a full head of steam it is not easy to bring them back under you."
STORY SOURCE: MELBOURNE HERALD SUN - NEWS LIMITED.
