Jonjo O'Neill horse under scutiny

Jonjo O’Neill’s Music To My Ears became the latest horse to come under official scrutiny today after drifting in the betting before running disappointingly at Cheltenham.

The five-year-old’s performance was noted by the stewards after he was pulled up after three fences in the two-and-a-half-mile Lloyds TSB Asset Finance Novices’ Handicap Chase.

Music To My Ears drifted in the market from 4-1 to 7-1 and, according to his jockey Liam Cooper, was hampered at the first fence and then lost his action, which prompted him to put on the brakes.

The racecourse vet inspected Music To My Ears and reported him to be “three-tenths lame on his off-fore” (on a scale of 1-10).

The stewards interviewed Cooper and also O’Neill, who said his horse had never been unsound and had schooled well over fences at home.

Stewards’ secretary Simon Cowley said: “The stewards inquired into the circumstances why Music To My Ears was pulled up after the third fence.

“They were aware of betting patterns and by noting the explanations given, they have effectively left the case open in case the stewards in London wish to investigate the matter further.”