Gold Cup-winning rider Sam Thomas was hit with a 17-day ban after taking the wrong course on red-hot favourite Oumeyade at Fakenham.

PAUL NOLAN, one of the up-and-coming young trainers in the country, took his second Galway Hurdle at Ballybrit yesterday when Cloone River landed a massive gamble.

DESSIE HUGHES saddled his first winner since the death of stable jockey Kieran Kelly when Tipp Top took the WLR FM Maiden Hurdle at Tramore last night.