DARLEY faces an Autumn Carnival without No 1 stable rider Kerrin McEvoy after Racing NSW stewards suspended him for a month on Friday following a running and handling inquiry.

McEvoy will appeal the guilty verdict to a charge of having failed to take all reasonable and permissible measures to give Shakes full opportunity in the Tamarama Handicap at the Randwick Kensington track on March 18.

The stewards panel of Ray Murrihy, Greg Rudolph and Chris Polglase claimed that McEvoy ‘did not give Shakes full opportunity to win or to obtain the best possible place in the field, in that near the 600m as Mossamine improved three wide to his outside he remained racing behind El Sonador when it was reasonable and permissible to position his mount to the outside of the heels of El Sonador, which would have ensured Shakes was given full opportunity to win or finish in the best possible placing by having a clear and uninterrupted run in the home straight.’

They alleged that McEvoy’s failure to take this measure resulted in Shakes being held up or, in the alternative, not being fully tested until passing the 200 metres.

Stewards took into account the good record of McEvoy during his 13-year riding career and the fact that the month penalty encompasses the major meetings of the Autumn Carnival. His suspension will comment on Sunday, April 4 and he can resume riding on Tuesday, May 4.