Champetre cashes in after wrong course drama

CHELTENHAM’S cross-country course provided another dose of heavy drama for the wrong reason yesterday when seven riders ended up taking the wrong course with one obstacle remaining.

The blame for the incident was laid firmly at the door of amateur rider Jacqui Coward, who was leading the Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap Chase aboard Wedger Pardy as the field turned onto the racecourse proper in the home straight but went wider and ended up on the old chase track.

Coward admitted responsibility and was handed a 12-day ban, as was Adrian Heskin on A New Story, who was eventually brought down in a nasty incident.