The Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board has issued a suspension of 50 race days to jockey Robbie Geoghegan after he failed to pull up his injured mount, Sole Pretender, in the Lord Hemphill Memorial Handicap Chase at Galway Downs on Sunday, Aug. 6. Sole Pretender had to be euthanized after the race due to the extent of his injury, reports racingpost.com, a broken back fetlock, below his fetlock joint.
According to the post-race report, “evidence was heard from the rider concerned who stated that he felt his mount was not moving correctly at the time but was unaware the injury was as serious as it turned out to be.”
IHRB rules 216(ii)a and 216(iii) require a rider to pull up and dismount a lame or injured horse as soon as it is reasonably possible to do so.
Sole Pretender, a 9-year-old with 10 lifetime wins, was trained by Norman Lee. Lee told racingpost.com he did not agree with the penalty imposed on Geoghegan.
“I thought it was harsh on Robbie,” Lee said. “It wasn't Robbie's fault. He just didn't realize the extent of the injury. He didn't know what was happening underneath him and didn't realize he was so injured. He didn't go very wrong straight away.”
Read more at racingpost.com.
The post Ireland: Stewards Suspend Jockey 50 Race Days For Failure To Pull Up Fatally Injured Mount appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
