Shane Scriven has launched a desperate big to reduce the severity against the five month ban for whip stealing he received last week.

He got some good news early on and has been granted a stay of proceedings against the suspension relating to a race in Ipswich earlier this month.

It means he will be able to ride in any race meeting up to his appeal date and allows him to retain his mount on Azzaland in the Group 2 Victory Stakes at Eagle Farm this weekend.

There is yet to be an exact date confirmed for the appeal.

His suspension for snatching a whip from jockey Ben Looker in the final 100m of a race had technically already come into effect on Monday night April 15th.

He is desperate to have the penalty changed or else he will miss the entire Brisbane Winter Carnival, the most important period for Queensland based riders.

It would also rule him out of reunion with Scenic Shot , a famous Perth based racehorse with which Scriven has built a highly successful partnership.

He is due to ride Scenic Shot on the Gold Coast on Saturday Week in the Group 2 Hollindale Stakes.

Glen Colless has been put on standby to take the ride but will only be called up should Scriven’s appeal be heard and a decision made between now and race time.

After receiving the initial ban Scriven was said to be devastated and felt that at age 42 his career was effectively over.

He’s one of the most successful jockeys to ride during the Brisbane Carnival and is regarded as one of the most respected jockey’s in Queensland.

Damning video evidence showed the bizarre incident in which Scriven loses his own whip and reaches out to pull the whip out of the hands of Ben Looker.

Scriven’s horse finished second but was later disqualified.