Mercer handed 10-day ban

Keith Mercer was hit with a 10-day ban at Hexham this afternoon following his ride on Relix in the Insitu Cleaning Novices’ Hurdle.

The conditional rider finished fifth aboard the Ferdy Murphy-trained gelding, but the stewards decided he had breached rule 158 in that he had failed to use all reasonable and permissible measures to obtain the best possible finishing position.