Murtagh lodges ban appeal

JOHNNY Murtagh has lodged an appeal against the five-day suspension which rules him out of the Coral-Eclipse meeting.

The Gold Cup-winning rider was handed the ban by the Royal Ascot stewards on Tuesday who found him guilty of careless riding aboard Kayf Aramis in the Ascot Stakes.

The ban runs from July 1-5 inclusive and means Murtagh would miss the ride aboard St James’s Palace Stakes hero Mastercraftsman should he step up in trip for the 10-furlong Eclipse at Sandown.