Fradd in bad frame of mind after tussle with Whyte

A contrite Robbie Fradd left Happy Valley last night $20,000 the poorer after being fined for misconduct when weighing-in following his hard-fought victory on Frame's People in the seventh race.

Fradd, the champion jockey, initiated a finger-pointing slanging match with his fellow South African and current top rider Douglas Whyte. Whyte, on American Champion, had kept Fradd boxed in for much of the last 600 metres of the Class Three contest before Fradd managed to extricate Frame's People and burst clear for a narrow success.

Fradd clearly thought Whyte had overstepped the mark. The incident in the weighing-room was graphically captured on the Jockey Club's own television cameras positioned inside the weighing-room in what made for compelling viewing. It can be blood and guts out on the track and it looked at one point as if it might be inside the weighing-room, too.

At the ensuing inquiry it was established that at no point during the race did Whyte do anything other than hold his own ground.

Fradd was in a regretful mood as he left the track following the protracted inquiry and was the first to admit his wrongdoing. He said: 'I won't be appealing. I was wrong, I shouldn't have done it and I regret it. It is particularly wrong at this time when there are so many people here from overseas. I've apologised to the stewards and I will be seeing Dougie at the track on Monday to say the same to him.'

It has been an open secret for some time that Whyte and Fradd will not be on each other's Christmas card list this festive season but Fradd went on: 'I know Dougie will accept the apology. I'm sure he'll be good about it when I see him on Monday.'