O’Regan pays penalty for clanger

DENIS O’REGAN ensured he will never forget his first experience of Fakenham by collecting a 14-day ban for riding a finish a circuit too early.

The Irishman’s partner in the Weatherbys Bloodstock Insurance Beginners’ Chase was the Henrietta Knight-trained Harringay – a mare who has been the subject of controversy already in her career.

She is usually held-up but Youghal, Co Cork-born O’Regan kicked into a clear lead approaching what he thought was the last obstacle and did not appear to notice the lack of effort from other riders as he passed the post too late to make the fence in front of the stands.