Ahern hit with three-month ban for whip offences

IRISH jockey Eddie Ahern will be out of action until April after being hit with a lengthy ban yesterday by the British Horseracing Authority under the totting-up procedure for whip offences.

The Flat jockey, who is currently serving a suspension from December 14 until January 3 for separate whip and careless riding incidents, now has a three-month ban on top of that, running from January 4 to April 3.

Ahern was summoned to the BHA disciplinary panel at their Shaftesbury Avenue headquarters in London after finishing second on Marsam in the Buy Tickets On-line Handicap at Southwell on December 12.