Club to investigate as Fox confirms appeal
Rider Sean Fox was unseated from Ice Saint in the the Cantor Sport Beginners' Chase and subsequently suspended for 21 days after the stewards found him in breach of Rule 157, in that he had stepped off his horse.
He was banned from March 19 through to April 8 but has denied that he deliberately jumped off the market drifter and has opted to contest the decision of the local stewards.
A newspaper claimed that they were told the horse would not win in an anonymous phone call before the race and an on-course bookmaker also claimed to have been tipped off about the result.
"I've never been in the stewards' room for stopping a horse and I can't believe these allegations against me," Fox said.
John Maxse, the Jockey Club's director of public relations, said: "He (Fox) has lodged an appeal against the 21-day ban imposed by the Fontwell stewards.
"There will be an investigation by the security department into the race. This morning Paul Scotney (director of security) has had a chance to have a look at what his team followed up yesterday regarding the Fontwell race and also the chance to study more the betting patterns on the race.
"He has concluded the matter does warrant further investigation by his department."
Maxse went on: "No date has been set for an appeal. There are a couple of bits which need to be clarified as to whether the investigation would impinge on the appeal process."
Fox had previously been on Ice Saint when the grey ran out at Worcester in July 2002 when sent off the 5-1 joint-second favourite.
Explaining what happened at Worcester, the under-fire jockey said: "When I rode the horse at Stratford (won) the first time I rode the horse I went down the inside on him and there's a rail all the way round and I stuck to the rail the whole way.
"Then when I went to Worcester I rode him exactly the same and the horse just cocked its jaw and ran out. I went another four hurdles and I couldn't pull him up.
"There was no inquiry. I made a mistake by going down the inside."
