The Supreme Court has overturned the 25-day suspension handed down to jockey Samantha Fletcher by the Jamaica Racing Commission (JRC) in March 2023 in a landmark ruling on Friday.

Fletcher was initially suspended for not riding her mount, Gone A Negril, on merit during a seventh-place finish on February 4, 2023. The incident sparked controversy, with many in the racing community questioning the severity of the punishment.

Although Fletcher’s suspension was later reduced by five days, her representatives, Ed Barnes and attorney Douglas Thompson, felt that the punishment was still excessive and unfair. They argued that the JRC’s decision-making process was flawed and didn’t provide Fletcher with chance to prove her innocence.

One of the key issues raised by Fletcher’s team was that one of the stewards who initially handed down the punishment was also part of the appeal hearing. This, they argued, was a clear conflict of interest and undermined the integrity of the appeal process.

In a significant victory for Fletcher and her team, the Supreme Court has now quashed the JRC’s decisions on March 7, 2024, and March 21, 2023. The court has also awarded costs to Fletcher and ordered her attorney-at-law to prepare, file, and serve these orders.