Shepherd has successfully appealed against the 18-day ban

Callum Shepherd has successfully appealed against the 18-day ban handed down by the Kempton stewards last month.

Shepherd, who was riding David Simcock's Thorntonledale Max in a seven-furlong handicap, was initially deemed to have failed "to take all reasonable and permissible measures on a horse which would have finished outright first" after Flavour Maker caused a dead-heat at the finish line.

Shepherd strongly disputed this ruling and presented his case to the British Horseracing Authority’s independent panel on Tuesday morning.

During the extensive hearing, Shepherd explained that he had not ceased riding but had lost his balance when using his whip for the final time. He mentioned that he came up in the saddle to regain his rhythm, asserting that his mount lost "no momentum whatsoever" as a result.

He admitted that the incident "looked embarrassing" and that he "looked a mess" on camera but insisted that his riding had continued despite the awkward appearance.

"I realise it looked chaotic and not ideal, but it was an unusual and completely unintended situation," Shepherd stated.

The panel upheld Shepherd’s argument and overturned the ban.

Panel chairperson HH James O’Mahony commented: "Whether or not there was a mistake is open to interpretation. We acknowledge that racing is incredibly fast-paced, and if every error of judgment were to be scrutinised in detail, hearings would be constant. We must therefore consider the context of the explanation provided.

"We conclude, based on the balance of probabilities, that there was a loss of rhythm and imbalance that contributed to Shepherd's appearance and the fact that he rose above the saddle in the final strides. This was confirmed by a meticulous review of the footage from various angles. There was no apparent loss of momentum for the horse, and we want to emphasise that this decision is based solely on the specifics of this case and does not set a precedent for future cases. The sanction is hereby quashed. We also note that the stewards did not have the same level of detailed evidence that we had the opportunity to review."