Norfolk Stakes (Group 2)

IT wasn’t just the 50/1 SP which caused ripples as The Ridler landed the Group 2 Norfolk Stakes for Richard Fahey and Paul Hanagan, with the former champion jockey banned for 10 days for causing serious interference inside the final furlong.

For trainer and jockey, it was a second successive win in the race after Perfect Power scored last year and came just a couple of weeks after Hanagan revealed that he had lost the retainer to ride as first choice jockey to the Malton trainer.

Hung left

The Ridler hit the front on the far side of the group over a furlong out but hung badly left with Hanagan failing to correct his mount, and that saw both Crispy Cat (Michael O’Callaghan/Silvestre de Sousa) and Brave Nation badly hampered.

At the line, The Ridler was a length and three-quarters ahead of favourite Walbank, who had been front rank throughout, with Crispy Cat beaten a total of two lengths in third.

The stewards announced that the result would stand with remarkable alacrity before continuing their enquiry into the riding offence, eventually finding Hanagan guilty of careless riding in that he allowed his horse to drift across rivals without correction and handing him a 10-day ban.

The decision was met with anger from the connections of the placed horses – both owned by Kia Joorabchian’s Amo Racing – with O’Callaghan adamant that his colt should have won, having also met some interference earlier in the race.

As the rules are written (badly), this was the correct decision by the stewards, but this race will add further fuel to the fire for those who believe those rules ought to be rewritten completely.

Richard Fahey had considered running The Ridler in the Coventry Stakes and has no issue with stepping him up to six furlongs.

He mentioned the possibility of aiming him at the Group 1 Prix Morny at Deauville, a race which Perfect Power won last term.