Danny Gilligan has been handed a one-day suspension following two false starts in the National Hunt Challenge Cup Novices' Handicap Chase at Cheltenham Festival on Tuesday. After previously riding Koktail Brut and Dee Capo earlier in the day, Gilligan was set to compete aboard Gordon Elliott’s Will Do. However, he triggered a second false start by failing to walk or jog on the second attempt to begin the race.
Following interviews with Gilligan and the Starter, alongside a review of race footage, officials imposed a one-day ban on the English jockey for misconduct at the start. Ultimately, Gilligan finished 11th on Will Do, while Nicky Henderson’s Holloway Queen, ridden by James Bowen, won the race.
In a separate disciplinary action linked to the same race, Conor Stone-Walsh received a two-day suspension for careless riding. Stone-Walsh, who finished fifth on Iceberg Theory, was found to have allowed his horse to drift left towards the rail, impeding Donagh Meyler on Backersackme, who had to take evasive action. Sam Twiston-Davies, riding Guard The Moon, was also forced to check his mount as a result.
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The inquiry statement read: “An enquiry was held to consider interference entering the bend after the first fence, involving ICEBERG THEORY (IRE), placed fifth, ridden by Conor Stone-Walsh, BACKERSACKME (IRE), ridden by Donagh Meyler, and GUARD THE MOON, ridden by Sam Twiston-Davies. Stone-Walsh was suspended for 2 days for careless riding as he allowed his mount to drift left-handed towards the rail when insufficiently clear of Meyler, who had to take a check, which resulted in Twiston-Davies also needing to check near the rail.”
This follows the recent suspension of Jack Andrews, who received a 12-day ban after mistakenly taking the wrong course and missing a fence at Stratford-upon-Avon on Monday. Riding Xcitations in a 2m1f handicap chase, Andrews bypassed the water jump at the fifth fence due to confusion over pre-race alterations that omitted the sixth fence. Upon realizing the error, he pulled up his horse but could not avoid suspension.
The stewards' report stated: “An inquiry was held to consider whether Xcitations, ridden by Jack Andrews, had taken the incorrect course after jumping the first fence in the home straight on the first circuit. The rider was interviewed and shown recordings of the incident. Andrews was suspended for 12 days for taking the wrong course, as he had failed to jump the water jump and subsequently pulled the gelding up.”