GUTTED Rob Hornby has been ‘jocked-off’ Westover in the Irish Derby.
Irishman Colin Keane has been lined up to replace Hornby on the luckless Derby third after the colt’s owners Juddmonte made the cut throat decision over the weekend.
Keane, 27, rides most of their string in Ireland and has got the call-up after unlucky Hornby met roadblock after roadblock in the late stages of the Epsom Classic.
Trained by Ralph Beckett, Westover is the 11-10 favourite for the race at the Curragh this Saturday and Hornby only learnt of the decision on Monday.
The jockey, who won his first Group 1 on Beckett’s Scope last season, is not booked for any rides in Britain on Saturday.
The 27-year-old started out at Andrew Balding’s but has built up a strong partnership with Beckett in the past two seasons.
Juddmonte are apparently keen to have a jockey on board who knows the Curragh well.
Beckett refused to shed light on jockey plans for the weekend but said: “The horse is well. This has been the obvious race since Epsom and we always had half an eye on it.
“We’ve not had to do much with him, it’s just been a case of ticking him over and keeping him relatively fresh.”
FUMING Dave Loughnane has slammed the BHA stewards following Walbank’s controversial defeat at Royal Ascot.
His horse finished second to 50-1 stunner The Ridler, but the winning rider Paul Hanagan was slapped with a ten-day ban after the race.
Hanagan cut across the field in the final stages of the five furlong Group 2 and Loughnane’s Walbank was checked heavily in running.
Third-placed Crispy Cat and Brave Nation in fourth also had their chances seriously harmed as The Ridler hung across the track.