A dropped weight cloth is threatening to become a serious problem for Brian Hughes as he seeks to make himself champion jump jockey for the first time. Hughes weighed in light by 5lb after winning on Bingo D’Olivate at Carlisle on Monday and, because a stewards’ inquiry could not establish the reason why, he was handed a three-day suspension in addition to losing that winner, Bingo D’Olivate being disqualified and placed last.
Whether or not Hughes eventually becomes champion, he has surely already
won the record for fastest ever submission of an appeal, as the Professional Jockeys Association confirmed through Twitter that he would contest the ban. They did so just two hours after the race in question and less than one hour after the news of the punishment had broken. The three-day ban is standard, under British Horseracing Authority rules, in cases where a jockey weighs in light and the cause is not established. The trainer, James Ewart, was fined £750, which is also the entry-point punishment set out for such cases. But it appears an explanation has come to light, as Ewart told the Racing Post: “The weight cloth was found on the sand walk-in from the course, after a search. Unfortunately, there was no camera to prove Bingo D’Olivate had carried it throughout the race, although John Grossick [photographer]
said he had the weight cloth on jumping the last.”
Ewart added that such a thing has never happened with one of his horses before. Hughes has been through something similar, when Brian Boranha was disqualified at Catterick in 2016. On that occasion, he received no ban, as a hole was discovered in the weigh cloth, proving the cause of the weight loss. It is expected Hughes will argue at his appeal that he did nothing wrong on this occasion either and Ewart’s evidence will presumably be used to back that up.
The outcome may matter enormously to this season’s title race, as Hughes has not yet built an unassailable lead over Richard Johnson, who is expected to return to action within the next three weeks. With two months left in the season, Hughes is ahead by 17 winners.
Cheltenham Festival stat of the day, by Paul Ferguson
Despite the victory of Espoir d’Allen last year, the record of five-year-olds in the Champion Hurdle is not strong. Such horses have won the race twice from 102 runners over the past 33 runnings and it remains notoriously difficult for horses of that age to break into top-level races, over any distance. This has to be an obvious concern for fans of last year’s Triumph Hurdle winner Pentland Hills, for all that this year’s race looks a weak renewal.
The Weatherbys Cheltenham Festival Betting Guide 2020, written by Paul Ferguson, is published this week and available through this link for £15.95.
A Cheltenham Festival stat of the day will appear here from Monday to Friday for the next three weeks.
Tuesday’s best bets
While we don’t often take a cut at Irish racing in this space, today’s
Punchestown card is easily the most interesting fare of the day. In an
intriguing 19-runner race for the Grand National Trial, Mon Lino (2.45) is
the pick at 14-1.
He produced his best effort over fences when second in the Porterstown at
Fairyhouse in December, getting heartbreakingly run out of it by Killer
Miller in the dying strides. A serious test of stamina looks like his thing
and he represents the Paul Nolan stable that is on its way to its best
prize money total since the Joncol glory days.
Musselburgh: 2.00 Oscar Clouds 2.30 First Account 3.00 Nineohtwooneoh (nap) 3.35 Duke Of Navan (nb) 4.05 Dear Sire 4.35 Dr Hooves 5.05 Grumpy McGrumpface
Southwell: 5.30 Luscifer 6.00 Loulin 6.30 Zapper Cass 7.00 Moonraker 7.30 Stormy Bay 8.00 Accessor
Paul Nicholls sends Nineohtwooneoh (3.00) to Musselburgh, presumably in
search of better ground and a sharp track. His handicap debut on Boxing Day
reads pretty well now and he had essentially no chance against Lightly
Squeeze, who has since turned out to have been two stone well in that day. Nineohtwooneoh faces a big field but not a strong one and any progress on
that first run since April should make him very competitive. The Nicholls
yard is in excellent form and he’s 13-8.
Dr Hooves (4.35) was having just his second start over fences when scoring
here a fortnight ago and a 3lb rise ought not to stop him going in again
for Lucinda Russell at 3-1 or so.
