TOP jockey Martin Dwyer was hit with a ban moments after landing a 14-1 winner in an incident-packed race.
Dwyer was aboard the Brian Meehan-trained Bellazada in the fiery contest over a mile at Newmarket on Thursday evening.
The jockey, who has won just shy of £2million in the past five seasons on the Flat and is best known for claiming the 2006 Epsom Derby, was making brilliant headway on the outside of the front line of leaders.
However, Bellazada started shifting in near to the right-hand side rail two furlongs from the finish.
The horse appeared to temporarily straighten before hanging to one side again as the post neared.
The commentator noted Bellazada was ‘hanging right over to the far side running rail’ in the closing stages, essentially cutting up the other horses.
To Bellazada and Dwyer’s credit, the three-year-old filly absolutely motored home to land her first win.
But the horse’s movement immediately caught the eye of stewards and punters.
It was determined that Dwyer was guilty of careless riding – but the placings were not altered because Bellazada ran out a worthy winner.
The British Horseracing Authority stewards’ report read: “An enquiry was held to consider the placings in this race after two incidents of interference from approaching the final furlong to just inside the final furlong marker involving the winner, BELLAZADA (IRE), ridden by Martin Dwyer, BABINDI, placed second, ridden by Pat Dobbs, and TURANDOT (IRE), placed eighth, ridden by David Nolan.
“In the first incident, approaching the final furlong marker, Dwyer was cautioned for careless riding as he allowed his mount to drift right-handed without sufficient correction carrying BABINDI slightly off its intended line.
“In the second incident, just inside the final furlong marker, Dwyer was suspended for four days for careless riding as he allowed his horse to continue to drift right-handed without sufficient or timely correction causing both Dobbs and Nolan to have to take a significant check.
“The Stewards considered that the interference had not improved BELLAZADA (IRE)’s placing as although BABINDI lost both ground and momentum in the second incident, BELLAZADA (IRE) quickened away readily inside the final furlong and was eased in the last few yards, to win by three quarters of a length.”
Another incident in the same race saw Jack Mitchell also hit with a careless riding ban.
He was found to have ‘manoeuvred right-handed when insufficiently clear’ of a rival shortly after the start.
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