Rob Hornby questions stewards’ consistency after seven-day Royal Ascot ban while Lorcan Williams gets lesser punishment
TOP jock Rob Hornby is ‘absolutely gutted’ to miss Royal Ascot through suspension after forgetting to weigh-in after a race.
And he has also been left with a bitter taste in his mouth after Lorcan Williams got a lighter suspension for an offence which, on the surface, appears more serious.
Group 1 winner Hornby, 29, was slapped with a seven-day ban at Nottingham on Sunday after ‘an innocent mistake’ when forgetting to return to the scales after finishing third on Surrey Belle.
Meanwhile Williams, who deliberately tried to weigh-in without his saddle at Uttoxeter on Thursday and was subsequently two pounds overweight, got three days.
Hornby said: “I don’t know how they decide on the punishments or dish these things out, all jockeys just want a bit of consistency.
“In my case it was a human error, it was an innocent mistake which doesn’t happen often but it happens occasionally, and I think seven days is quite harsh.
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“Royal Ascot is everything for every jockey and for making a silly error it’s denied me the chance to ride there, which is absolutely gutting.”
He has yet to bag a winner at the Royal meeting but would have picked up several nice rides for Andrew Balding and Ralph Beckett, among others.
Hornby reckons officials could be a little more lenient as regards the dates of suspensions if they are going to clash with a big meeting like Ascot.
And, off the back of this week’s events, the BHA are believed to be considering looking at the current penalty guidelines.
He added: “Ascot is something we all work towards all season, so it is a blow.
“Maybe being a little more flexible around a big meeting is something they can look at in future.”
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Remember to gamble responsibly
A responsible gambler is someone who:
- Establishes time and monetary limits before playing
- Only gambles with money they can afford to lose
- Never chases their losses
- Doesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry or depressed
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