Jason Maguire to miss Cheltenham Festival for second year running

• Jockey loses his Ludlow Born To Succeed appeal

• British Horseracing Authority back local stewards

Rider to miss season’s highlight after two-week ban

Jason Maguire has lost his appeal against a 14-day ‘non-triers’ ban and has therefore been ruled out of next month’s Cheltenham Festival. It is the second consecutive year that the jockey will miss jump racing’s biggest week, Maguire having been badly injured before last year’s event.

The verdict came at the end of a three-hour disciplinary hearing at the British Horseracing Authority which explored the fault line between what officials demand in the way of visible effort and what racing professionals feel they can ask of an inexperienced and immature animal. Both Maguire and the trainer Ben Pauling defended themselves vigorously, having been found guilty by the Ludlow stewards last week of giving Born To Succeed a “schooling and conditioning” run when the horse was seventh in a maiden hurdle.

Continue reading...





source Sport | The Guardian http://ift.tt/1C0k1eU