O’Regan pays penalty for clanger
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.
While Knight and Timmy Murphy successfully overturned penalties at appeal two years ago when accused of the tender running and riding of Harringay in a novice hurdle, there were no excuses here.
It was not as farcical a scene as at Tramore last month where a dozen riders made the same mistake, but plenty of punters had backed the 5-2 shot and O’Regan will be banned from January 25 – February 7.
“He’s absolutely devastated, but it’s just one of those things and they have been telling me this has apparently happened here before,” reflected Knight.
“He did know there were three circuits as we were talking about it in the paddock before, but it’s just simple human error and there’s no point getting angry about it. He’s paid the price anyway.
“The one thing I would say is that they really should doll off the finishing line until the final circuit, like they do at some other tracks, and then it would never happen again.”
Slightly ironically, this left a simple task for Murphy on the Nick Gifford-trained 13-8 favourite Cathedral Rock, who cruised home a distance clear of Shouldhavehadthat.
Gifford was also sympathetic to O’Regan.
“The horse was second-favourite, but mistakes do happen and Denis probably hasn’t ridden here very often,” he said. “But take nothing away from my fellow, who won very easily.
“He won on heavy last year but as long as he’s got cut in the ground, he’ll be OK.
“He’s still very green and thinks life’s pretty easy at the moment.”
Nicky Henderson and Mick Fitzgerald know the tight Norfolk circuit rather better than O’Regan and combined twice to good effect.
Working Title (11-8), a Uttoxeter bumper winner, gave his supporters no alarm in the Fakenham “National Hunt” Novices’ Hurdle to score by 25 lengths and earn a 25-1 quote for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle from Cashmans.
The well-bred Gold Award then made an impressive introduction in the Great Fransham Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race.
The 4-7 favourite pulled away from market rival Smoke And Mirrors in the final furlong for owner The Queen, who is seen at nearby Sandringham more often than Fakenham.
Fitzgerald enjoyed a treble by teaming up with Brendan Powell’s Fondness (17-2) in the East Dereham Handicap Hurdle.
Tony McCoy will seek the assistance of two pre-eminent spinal specialists as he seeks to return to the racetrack as soon as possible following his fall at Warwick.
The 12-times champion suffered a back injury after he parted company with Arnold Layne in the totesport.com Classic Chase, a fall which prompted fears he could miss the Cheltenham Festival in March.
But initial prognosis from doctors at the University Hospital Walsgrave in Coventry was reasonably positive in that he could be back in around six weeks.
With 132 winners already on the board this season McCoy is 55 clear of his nearest pursuer, Graham Lee.
