Ghiani Cops 34-Day Ban Due To Breaking The Whip Rules

Marco Ghiani, the champion apprentice in the UK in 2021, has been handed a 34-day ban by the British Horseracing Authority (BHA)'s Whip Review Committee.

Ghiani broke the whip rules for the fifth time in the last six months. A total of nine days of his ban have been deferred for a period of six months, and he will also need to complete a two-day training course. The rider already has a win at Royal Ascot to his credit with Real World (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), and is also a group-winning rider. Previously suspended for six months due to a cocaine positive, the rider was aboard group winners Mill Stream (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}) in the G3 Prix de Meautry and Roberto Escobarr (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the G3 Italian St Leger.

Also receiving a lengthy ban is apprentice Tommie Jakes, who has to serve a 24-day ban. Eight of his days have been deferred for six months, and he too, will need to complete a two-day training course.

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Marco Ghiani Banned for six Months After Cocaine Positive

Former champion apprentice and one of the most promising riders in Britain, Marco Ghiani has had his licence suspended for six months after testing positive for metabolites of cocaine.

Ghiani was tested at Newcastle on August 25 and subsequently handed an interim suspension whilst disciplinary proceedings were arranged.

He admitted taking cocaine two days before the positive test and via his legal representative, Rory MacNeice, did not challenge the findings of the British Horseracing Authority.

The panel of Philip Curl, Alison Royston and Dr Lyn Griffiths agreed to withdraw Ghiani's licence for a period of six months, backdated to September 5 to allow for the period he has already spent suspended. Ghiani will not be permitted to ride until March 5.

Rory Mac Neice, representing Ghiani, said, “Mr Ghiani is hugely embarrassed by this matter and accepts it was a grave error of judgement on his part. He has reflected considerably since on how he got into that position.

“Mr Ghiani succumbed to the temptation at a time when he felt vulnerable professionally. He puts a great deal of pressure on himself to succeed for those who engage him to ride his horses and he considers he has had some difficulties in being objective when he has felt his performance has resulted in his horses not running to the best of their abilities.

“He has a character tendency to move on from successes almost instantly, while allowing perceived failures to stay with him for a considerable length of time. One consequence of the positive is it has triggered an awareness by him of the very considerable support available to him, particularly from the Professional Jockeys Association, with counselling and help regarding these issues – something he previously felt unable to ask for.

“Being caught so quickly, and it's indicative of the success of the anti-doping regime the BHA has in place, means he has and continues to be able to address those underlying pressures. We thank the BHA for approaching this matter in a sensitive and thoughtful manner.”

 

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Ghiani All Smiles As He Joins Green Team

If you are a regular viewer of British racing then the chances are you will have seen plenty of interviews last season with jockey Marco Ghiani. He's the one who is always smiling, with the kind of impish face, dimples and all, that could soften even the sternest of stewards. In 2021, he had much to smile about. 

With 101 winners under his belt, more than four times as many as his previous seasonal best, Ghiani was crowned champion apprentice at Ascot, receiving his trophy from Lester Piggott on QIPCO British Champions Day, less than six years after enrolling at the British Racing School. Now, having only just turned 23, the Italian-born rider likely has an even broader grin on his face as he just been named as the retained jockey for Ahmad Al Shaikh's Green Team Racing. That team may not have the numerical strength of Godolphin but the Dubaian owner has certainly had plenty of bang for his buck from the dozen or so horses he has racing in his colours each year. 

Notably, in the last two years, he has had a runner in the Derby: Khalifa Sat (Ire) (Free Eagle {Ire}) was runner-up to Serpentine (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the 'lockdown Derby' after winning the Listed Cocked Hat S., while Youth Spirit (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) lined up last year following his victory in the G3 Chester Vase. Al Shaikh also has a potential Classic contender for this season in the Andrew Balding-trained Hoo Ya Mal (GB) (Territories {Ire}).

“It's very exciting to be riding for Green Team Racing,” Ghiani says. “Ahmad Al Shaikh has a lot of 2-year-olds and a few 3-year-olds who are going to run soon and hopefully go on to show something special.”

With the horses spread around between Hampshire, Yorkshire and Newmarket at yards including those of Andrew Balding, Kevin Ryan, Mark Johnston and Kevin Philippart de Foy, Ghiani will be covering plenty of miles this year, but then that's nothing new. The in-demand rider took up 590 rides across Britain last year, and now only halfway through March he has already ridden 23 winners in 2022 at a strike-rate of 20%.

“Last year was amazing. I never thought I could have achieved that, to get to 100 winners was really good,” recalls Ghiani, who was joined at Ascot on Champions Day by his parents whom he had not seen for almost two years during various lockdowns across Europe. 

Ghiani was born in Oristano, Sardinia, an island with a rich racing heritage, especially when it comes to jockeys. Plenty of Sardinian riders have enjoyed success in Siena's famous Palio, while those who have prospered in mainstream racing include Gianfranco Dettori, the father of Frankie and a multiple champion jockey in Italy, and Andrea Atzeni.

Racing, however, did not grab Ghiani from the start, though appearances in Oristano's 'Sartiglietta', the children's version of the town's celebrated medieval carnival-cum-mounted games, proved to be something of a catalyst. 

“I grew up riding ponies from the age of 11 but not in racing,” says the jockey. “Every year we have a carnival with horses and I was involved in that as a kid. In 2014 I was the leading rider there and my horse and I both fell at a full gallop. I got up and my horse got up and later the champion jockey of Italy, Dario Vargiu, texted me to tell me how brave I was.”

Ghiani continues, “I was clueless about racing but I looked him up and started following him. I started going racing at home to watch him and then I told my dad I wanted to be a jockey. We tried to find a course I could go on in Italy but there wasn't one at the time, but I found one in Newmarket and I applied for that.”

Having attended an open day at the British Racing School in 2014, Ghiani returned the following December to take his place on its well regarded apprentice course. He brought with him plenty of talent but almost no spoken English. 

“There were only English people at the racing school so it helped me a lot. I started to catch some words and link them together but it was hard,” he recalls. 

Newmarket is not without its strong Italian connections, and fortuitously Ghiani found employment with Luca Cumani directly after graduation from the racing school. 

“I went there for three and a half years until Luca Cumani retired,” he says. “I had my first ride for him. I then went to Australia for six weeks and when I came back I was offered a job by Stuart Williams. He's a very smart trainer, his horses always run well and he has given me a lot of chances.”

Indeed, being apprenticed to the shrewd Williams proved to be an important stepping stone for Ghiani, who started out with a handful of rides in 2018 and thereafter has kept the winners rolling in at an impressive rate each season.

“So far this year I am going better than last year,” says Ghiani, whose major breakthrough last season came when winning the Royal Hunt Cup for Godolphin at Royal Ascot aboard Real World (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}). Saeed Bin Suroor kept him on for the next two races, with the young jockey landing his first two stakes wins on the 4-year-old in the Listed Steventon S. and G3 Strensall S.

“It's been a great start,” he adds. “Now I am trying to get on the best horses I can. We'll see how it goes.”

Ghiani has been based in Newmarket ever since arriving in the town to attend the British Racing School, which in its history has only ever had two youngsters score 100% in the rigorous fitness test which students are required to pass before graduation. Ghiani was one, and he followed another famous graduate with the racing world now at his feet: Tom Marquand.

In addition to his banner year at the track in 2021, Ghiani also became a father for the first time, with his son Louis having been born last May. There are clearly currently many good reasons for him to flash that enchanting smile, and it is a safe bet that we will be seeing plenty more of it in the seasons ahead. 

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Dark Angel’s Real World Too Strong In The Strensall

York's Saturday action kicked off in style, with the apple of Saeed bin Suroor's eye Real World (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) again demonstrating his raw quality as his love affair with the impressive Marco Ghiani continued in the G3 Sky Bet and Symphony Group Strensall S. Dynamic in the June 16 Royal Hunt Cup at a mile and the 10-furlong Listed Steventon S. at Newbury July 17, Godolphin's progressive and as-yet untested 4-year-old was exposed on the wing early racing two lengths off the pace. Carting his rookie jockey to the front two out, the even-money favourite looked vulnerable for a few strides but stayed on again when asked a serious question to power to a 1 1/2-length success from the rock-solid 2018 winner Lord Glitters (Fr) (Whipper). “He might go France or Newmarket next, but his final race is going to be the [Oct. 16 G1] Queen Elizabeth II [at Ascot],” his trainer declared. “We took him to Dubai this year, but he was still weak. He's a nice horse who needs to improve, but every time he has run he has done and will be better next year.”

Real World is now unbeaten in three starts on turf and on Polytrack, with his sole start on that artificial surface coming on debut at Chelmsford in late October. Conversely unable to score on four outings on Meydan's dirt this winter, the imposing bay had managed a third placing in the Feb. 18 Listed Curlin S. but it was not until he stepped onto Royal Ascot's hallowed grass that he showed his true wares with a scarcely-believable 4 3/4-length romp in the always-competitive Royal Hunt Cup. The dam Nafura (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) is also responsible for this year's Listed Cheshire Oaks winner Dubai Fountain (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), who was also runner-up in the G2 May Hill S. at two. She is a half-sister to three group winners headed by the stable's G1 Prix Jacques le Marois and G1 Prix du Moulin de Longchamp-winning sire Librettist (Danzig) and the brilliant G1 Queen Anne S. hero and sire Dubai Destination (Kingmambo).

The third dam Mysteries (Seattle Slew), who was third in the G3 Musidora S., produced three black-type winners including the G1 July Cup and G1 Prix de l'Abbaye de Longchamp hero and proven sire Agnes World (Danzig) and the Japanese champion sprinter Hishi Akebono (Woodman). She is also the ancestress of the GI Breeders' Cup Mile winner Tourist (Tiznow). Also connected to another of this stable's luminaries in the G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere winner Royal Marine (Ire) (Raven's Pass), Nafura has the 2-year-old colt Home City (Ire) (Profitable {Ire}) who was off the mark last week.

Saturday, York, Britain
SKY BET AND SYMPHONY GROUP STRENSALL S.-G3, £100,000, York, 8-21, 3yo/up, 8f 177yT, 1:47.66, gd.
1–REAL WORLD (IRE), 131, c, 4, by Dark Angel (Ire)
1st Dam: Nafura (GB), by Dubawi (Ire)
2nd Dam: Mysterial, by Alleged
3rd Dam: Mysteries, by Seattle Slew
1ST GROUP WIN. O/B-Godolphin (IRE); T-Saeed bin Suroor; J-Marco Ghiani. £56,710. Lifetime Record: SP-UAE, 8-4-1-2, $228,708. *1/2 to Dubai Fountain (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), SW & MGSP-Eng, $123,978. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Lord Glitters (Fr), 138, g, 8, Whipper–Lady Glitters (Fr), by Homme de Loi (Ire). (€25,000 Ylg '14 AR14; €270,000 4yo '17 ARJUN). O-Geoff & Sandra Turnbull; B-SCA Elevage de Tourgeville & Mme Hilary Erculiani (FR); T-David O'Meara. £21,500.
3–Duke of Hazzard (Fr), 131, h, 5, Lope de Vega (Ire)–With Your Spirit (Fr), by Invincible Spirit (Ire). (€130,000 Ylg '17 ARAUG). O-Mrs Fitri Hay; B-Runnymede Farm Inc & C W Clay (FR); T-Paul & Oliver Cole. £10,760.
Margins: 1HF, 1, NO. Odds: 1.00, 10.00, 28.00.
Also Ran: Bell Rock (GB), My Oberon (Ire), El Drama (Ire), Brunch (GB). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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