Rachael Blackmore suspended for five days over Lady Rita ride

Rachael Blackmore has been suspended from action for five days and will have to forfeit her riding fee for partnering Lady Rita at Kilbeggan on 12 May after an Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board investigation deemed that the high-profile jockey had mistaken the winning post a circuit too early.

The Louise Lyons-trained Lady Rita was sent off a well-backed 8-1 shot for the Moyvore Whiskey Vault Handicap Hurdle over three miles having been available at 25-1 earlier in the day.

Blackmore bustled her mount clear of the other runners in the field and briefly pulled up after passing the winning post with another lap of the track still to race. The duo continued the contest and eventually finished a well-beaten fourth in a field of 16.

Interviewed afterwards by raceday stewards, Blackmore said that Lady Rita had a tendency to run inconsistently and was running over a longer trip for the first time.

She added that she wanted to ensure that the race was run at a strong gallop and let her mount stride on after the final hurdle with a circuit to run but the animal got lairy in front and on realising there was still a long way to go, she allowed her to come back under her.

The stewards took no further action, despite noting that they were not entirely convinced with her explanation as they could not be certain of her misjudgement.

Just a day afterwards, the IHRB announced it would be investigating the matter and on Wednesday it found Blackmore in breach ofRule 212A(iv), which states: "Any rider who fails to obtain their best possible placing as a result of negligent misjudgement (including a misjudgement of the winning post or the number of circuits, easing their mount without good reason or stopping riding) shall be guilty of an offence