James Ridley: Lookslikerainted jockey banned after Newbury finish line blunder - BBC Sport
An amateur jockey who slowed down and lost his lead in the final stages of a race is banned for 28 days.
Last updated on .From the section Horse Racing

An amateur jockey who slowed down and lost his lead in the final stages of a race has been banned for 28 days.

James Ridley, riding Lookslikerainted, appeared to mistakenly think he had already crossed the finish line, allowing two horses to pass.

The Hunters' Chase at Newbury was eventually won by Triangular, closely followed by Ballytober.

Lookslikerainted, a 33-1 outsider trained by Martin Wilesmith, finished in third.

At the resulting inquiry, Ridley said the half-furlong pole caused the problem. Stewards ruled he was guilty of failing to ride out on a horse that would have finished first.

"Obviously I'm a little upset but compared to what happened in Westminster the other day it is absolutely nothing," Wilesmith said, after the attack in central London on Wednesday in which four people were killed and 50 people injured by Khalid Masood, who also died.

"I'm thrilled with the horse and just looking forward to when we can run him again now. We'll just look forwards. James has apologised."