Ruby returns to action in Britain
Walsh was suspended for five days by the Aintree stewards on Saturday having been deemed to have hit his mount, Edgardo Sol, once more than the permitted eight times after guiding him to a narrow victory in a novices’ handicap chase.
A furious Walsh indicated in the aftermath that his visits to England would become less frequent due to the stringent rules, and is due to have an appeal against the findings of the Aintree stewards heard next week.
But he will be back in the saddle in England when partnering Fistral Beach for Paul Nicholls in Wetherby’s bet365 Handicap Chase, and will also be in action at the West Yorkshire track tomorrow, where his rides will include the Nicholls-trained Poquelin in the feature Bet365 Charlie Hall Chase.
Meanwhile, Irish trainer John ‘Shark’ Hanlon says he will consider how many runners he has in England after owner-rider Paul McMahon was given a 21-day riding suspension following a British Horseracing Authority disciplinary panel hearing yesterday. McMahon was found to have breached the new whip regulations when winning a bumper at Cheltenham on October 15 on his own horse, Clondaw Warrior, trained by Hanlon.
The disciplinary panel found McMahon had used the whip 17 times for non-safety purposes during the race, and suspended him from November 2 to 22 inclusive.
County Carlow-based Hanlon is very unhappy with the new whip regulations. He said: “It’s very, very disappointing for Paul. It was a dream come true for him to ride a winner in Cheltenham and it was my biggest day in England as well, so for this to happen is terrible. I’m disgusted.
“He only hit the horse six times behind the saddle and the only reason he was giving him slaps down the neck at the finish was to keep him off the other horse that was alongside him.
“If he hadn’t done that, they’d have done Paul for careless riding, so it’s just ridiculous to be honest.
“I think it’s a very sorry state for English racing to be in and it’s the people on top that are making it that way.
“I had runners in Chepstow the other day and Brian Hayes, who rode for me, got suspended.
“When he came into the winner’s enclosure I told him he could be in trouble. Fair enough, he got a ban, he broke the rules. But the rule is wrong when you can’t slap a horse down the neck to keep it straight.
“I had entries in Carlisle on Sunday, but they won’t be running and I won’t be going to England as much as I have in the past.”
