Paul Townend has been given a five-day ban following ‘careless riding’ during his victory in The Betway Queen Mother Champion Steeple Chase.
Following an inquiry the Irish jockey, who claimed his third victory of the Cheltenham festival, was seen to have been riding carelessly whilst on Energumene.
The careless riding in question was determined to be a situation in which Townend drifted left whilst insufficiently clear, which caused fellow Irish jockey, Rachael Blackmore, who was riding Captain Guinness, to slightly go off of her intended line.
This in turn forced Niall Houlihan, who was competing on Editeur Du Gite, to stumble after being given shortened room on the rail.
Townend’s ban will likely be put in place after the Cheltenham festival has finished, allowing him to compete in the races he is already booked in first, with the Irishman next in action tomorrow, riding Appreciate It in the Cheltenham Turners Novice’s Chase at 1.30 pm.
