HARRY REDKNAPP’S horse has been banned for 40 days and the trainer fined thousands – after the jockey broke the ‘non-trier’ rule.
Redknapp has enjoyed a magical month on the racecourse with Shakem Up’Arry becoming his first Cheltenham Festival winner.
And the star chaser is the best-backed horse with bookies for the Grand National after they went non-runner money back.
But he was brought crashing back down to earth at Wincanton after his horse Northern Air and jockey Paddy Brennan were hauled before stewards.
Racing officials noted the five-year-old mare’s finish to her debut over hurdles, where the 5-1 chance rattled home for second behind 8-15 favourite Navajo Indy.
And after speaking to trainer Fergal O’Brien and jockey Brennan, stewards came down heavy on the pair, doling out the maximum possible penalty for schooling in public.
O’Brien was whacked with a £4,000 fine while Brennan got an 18-day ban for failing to ‘ask for timely, real and substantial effort to obtain the best possible placing’ on the horse, who Redknapp owns with one other.
The stewards’ report read: “An enquiry was held into the running and riding of Northern Air, ridden by Paddy Brennan, and trained by Fergal O’Brien, which was held up in rear, before beginning to improve its position racing down the side of the course and then continuing its progress through the field under apparent tender handling up the home straight to finish second of ten runners, beaten by 3¼ lengths.
“The rider and trainer’s representative were interviewed, and the trainer was interviewed by telephone and recordings of the race were shown.
“The Veterinary Officer performed two post-race examinations of the mare and had nothing to report on both occasions.
“The rider stated that his instructions were to switch Northern Air off and take his time as the mare ran extremely keen in her previous race, before weakening in the final furlong, a National Hunt Flat race at Newbury.
“Brennan explained that the objective for today’s run was to drop Northern Air out and to get her to finish her race strongly as she was ridden handier at Newbury which resulted in the mare emptying out and finishing the race fairly distressed.
“He stated that the mare raced keenly throughout and that as he began to make up ground turning into the home straight, he heard Northern Air make a respiratory noise.
“Brennan continued that being mindful that it was the mare’s first run over hurdles, he wanted to ensure Northern Air finished her race more positively and therefore focused on keeping the bit up in her mouth, being patient and riding her up the straight to hit the line.
“Brennan reported that he was happy with the mare’s run as she had finished her race strongly today.
“Both the trainer and trainer’s representative confirmed the instructions and were satisfied the ride accorded with those instructions.
“Brennan was suspended for 18 days and O’Brien fined £4000 for schooling and conditioning the horse on the racecourse in that Brennan had failed to ride his mount in such a way that he could be seen to ask for timely, real and substantial effort to obtain the best possible placing on Northern Air which was having its first run over hurdles today.
“Northern Air was suspended from running in any race for 40 days.”
The incident came in the first contest on Wincanton’s six-race card.
Irishman O’Brien is one of Britain’s top handlers and his runners have prize money earnings of more than £1million this season.
He is currently ninth in the jump trainers’ standings while Brennan is 22nd in the jockey table.
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