Aidan O'Brien's key jockeys, including Wayne Lordan, will be absent from prominent races, as his appeal against a ten-day whip ban has been denied.
Ryan Moore Sidelined, Soumillon Steps Up for Ballydoyle
Ryan Moore will be absent from the St Leger race in Doncaster and the Irish Champions Festival due to a broken thigh bone sustained before the Henkel-Preis der Diana, causing him to miss the rest of the flat racing season. Christophe Soumillon will replace him internationally during this period.
Soumillon has given up the chance to ride Lazy Griff in the St Leger due to a call up from Ballydoyle. Aidan O'Brien's stable will be heavily represented in the race, with Scandinavia, the favourite, previously partnered by Moore. Another horse trained by O'Brien, Lambourn, also looks set to run at Doncaster.
Meanwhile, jockey Wayne Lordan has been suspended for ten days by the whip review committee. The suspension is due to three instances of incorrect use of the whip on Precise during the Group 3 Prestige Stakes at Goodwood. The panel chairman, James O'Mahony, stated that there was clear evidence of use of the whip in the incorrect place.
The panel's decision was based on footage showing a consistent pattern of Lordan's incorrectly placed whip strikes. Lordan argued that the fourth and fifth strikes did not breach the rules and that Precise's tack had slipped off her shoulder. However, the panel deemed the fourth and fifth strikes in the final furlong as breaches of the rules.
Lordan was found guilty of breaching rule (F)45 for the sixth strike of the whip on Precise. The suspension will run from September 9 to September 18. Along with the suspension, Lordan was also fined £1,250.
In more positive news, Soumillon will play a significant role in Ballydoyle's team in the coming months. He will ride Los Angeles in the Prix Foy, Henri Matisse in the Prix du Moulin, Whirl in the Prix Vermeille, and Swagman in the Prix Niel for O'Brien at Longchamp.
The Irish Champions Festival at Leopardstown will take place on the opening day of which O'Brien is set to run Delacroix, the favourite for the Irish Champion Stakes. The BHA was represented by its interim co-director of integrity and regulation, Aja Hall, who presented evidence supporting the panel's decision.
The Racing Post offers free bets on their website for those looking to place a wager on the upcoming races.
