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Jockey Paddy Brennan and trainer Fergal O’Brien were given an eighteen-day ban and £4,000 fine respectively for the run of Northern Air in the Golf Membership On Sale Now Maiden Hurdle at Wincanton on Monday.
The five-year-old mare started second-favourite in the betting following a debut sixth at Newbury and was held up in the rear of the field, making up considerable ground in the home-straight but failing to reach eventual winner Navajo Indy.
The stewards at Wincanton deemed the ride to be "schooling and conditioning the horse on the racecourse" and the stiffest penalty possible was given to both jockey and trainer.
Jockey Paddy Brennan reported that the intention of the ride had been to settle the mare (who had raced keenly at Newbury) and ensure she finished the race well. Although trainer Fergal O'Brien was not present at Wincanton, he – via phone - and his racecourse representative confirmed the instructions.
In an interview with Racing TV, senior steward Tom Evetts said: "Mr Brennan's case was that he wanted to hold her up, she raced keenly at Newbury and didn't finish her race, so his and Mr O'Brien's priority coming here today was to get her to finish her race strongly.
"I guess our concern came in that having turned out of the back straight at a time when we would like horses to be improving their position, Mr Brennan was very tender in his handling of the mare and then up the entirety of the straight we just felt he wasn't doing enough on a mare that was passing horses and finishing off strongly.
"The question you could ask is where is the line between intent and schooling, we have done her under schooling. Intent is when the rider is doing the opposite of what we would expect, schooling is when the rider is just not doing enough and up the straight, we felt Mr Brennan just wasn't doing enough.
"The penalty (range) under schooling is 10 to 18 days for the jockey with an entry of 14, as she has finished second strongly, we have had to go to the top of that range and then that applies to Mr O'Brien."
