Champion jockey Tony McCoy today won his appeal against a 10-day ban for not riding out to the line on Batten Down at Bangor.
He left Jockey Club headquarters at Portman Square in London in a conciliatory mood after succeeding in having the suspension overturned.
McCoy received the punishment last Friday after easing down and losing third place in the cantorsport.co.uk Novices' Handicap Chase.
After the appeal hearing McCoy said he understood why the stewards had reached their original verdict.
"I'm very happy to have had the ban quashed," he said. "We had sufficient evidence to justify what I did on the day, and that possibly made the job easier for the panel than it was for the stewards at the track.
"In that respect I understand why they reached the decision they did."
At today's hearing the disciplinary panel accepted McCoy's explanation that his primary concern had been for the gelding's welfare. He told the panel that although he did not feel it appropriate to pull up on the run-in while holding a placed position, he had dismounted immediately after passing the post and reported his concerns about Batten Down's well-being to a person he believed to be a vet.
The panel reached the conclusion that his renewed efforts on the horse in the shadow of the post were "an instinctive reaction rather than being caught napping".
Jockey Club public relations director John Maxse said: "Tony McCoy reported he was worried that the horse had finished lame to someone he thought was an official vet, rather than the clerk of the scales or the stewards' secretary, as is set out under Instruction H24.
"In fact at the inquiry on the day the full facts were never really established. By the time he had drawn the attention of the panel to the fact that he had tried to communicate his concerns, the stewards had already deliberated and issued their suspension.
"In the circumstances, I don't think there should be any criticism of the way the stewards handled matters on the day. We are very keen that jockeys are seen to be riding out to the line at all times, but horse welfare is an issue that will always take precedence.
"However, if that is a factor, it should be explained to the right people as soon as possible so that everybody can be kept informed."