There was drama at Leopardstown today as a jockey was banned for two weeks after his horse took the wrong track while leading a race.
Lake Winnipesaukee had built up a huge lead in the 5.20 TRI Equestrian Superstore & Cafe, and had just to ride home coming into the home straight.
But with the horse tanking along in front turning for home when his rider, Aaron Fahey, took the wrong course – hanging right on to the chase track rather than moving to the hurdles course at the bypassed penultimate obstacle.
That left the race at the mercy of Dark Raven, with Patrick Mullins guiding home the 5-2 chance by seven and a half lengths from Silas Marner.
The stewards inquired into Lake Winnipesaukee’s run, with Fahey stating “his saddle had slipped forward, that his mount had been too strong to ride and through a lack of energy he was unable to steer his mount around the final bend on the correct course”.
However, the stewards decided he had “been negligent by his misjudgement of the correct course for this race and therefore had failed to attain his best possible placing” and banned Fahey for 14 days.
