Injured Williams hit with ban

Christian Williams has been hit with a belated three-day ban to add to the broken collarbone he sustained at Cheltenham.

The stewards had to wait until yesterday to interview the 21-year-old over his use of the whip while winning Friday’s feature race on Armaturk after he picked up the injury in a last-race fall on Blue Americo.

They inquired into his use of the whip on Armaturk from the second-last fence in the Beards Jewellers Cup and found him guilty of improper riding as he had used his whip in an incorrect place.

Williams was suspended from November 24 to 26 inclusive, when he could still be out injured anyway. If fit, he would be available to return to action on Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup day on November 27.

Armaturk’s trainer Paul Nicholls said: “He has a crack in his collarbone and the specialist says that if all goes well, he could be back riding in as little as 10 days, but realistically, I should think it would take a fortnight to heal.”