FAIRYHOUSE STEWARDS HAND DYLAN O'CONNOR 14-DAY BAN OVER SAM'S FAVOURITE RIDE

Conditional jockey Dylan O'Connor has been suspended for 14 race days and must forfeit his riding fee after Fairyhouse stewards found him in breach of Rule 212 over his ride on Sam's Favourite on Tuesday.

The Adam Leahy-trained five-year-old, sent off at 20-1, came home tenth of the 15 runners in the second division of the William Hill Challenge Series Handicap Hurdle over two and a half miles. Following a running and riding inquiry, the stewards also banned the horse from racing for 60 days under Rule 212C(d).

What the stewards heard

Giving evidence, O'Connor explained that he had been told to break and settle around eighth or ninth, but that Sam's Favourite had pulled hard on the way to the start, so he chose to drop out at the rear instead. He added that the gelding had needed a breather after the second-last flight.

Leahy backed up the jockey's account of the riding instructions, but made clear to the panel that he was unhappy with how far off the pace his horse had been held up. The stewards took note of the trainer's explanations and, in setting the length of the ban, gave O'Connor credit for his previously clean record under this rule.

The IHRB's veterinary officer reported that Sam's Favourite was normal after the race. Samples were nevertheless taken from the horse for further analysis, and no results have been announced.

Still to be confirmed

The Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board's report of the inquiry is marked as provisional until it appears in the Irish Racing Calendar, and the start and end dates of both suspensions have not yet been published. It is not known at this stage whether O'Connor intends to appeal.

Racing Daily will update readers if any further details emerge.