Conditional jockey Ned Fox handed ten-day ban for failing to dismount 'significantly lame' horse quick enough

Conditional jockey Ned Fox was given a ten-day ban by the raceday stewards at Southwell for failing to dismount his horse fast enough when it was "significantly lame" after racing.

Fox jumped off the Venetia Williams-trained Mountain Leopard on the chute after he finished second in the 3m½f conditional jockeys' handicap hurdle, but the stewards had judged the horse to go lame when pulling up and the rider was disciplined for failing to dismount the horse immediately.

Mountain Legend had rallied well in the contest, having been last of the three runners turning in, and got within three and a quarter lengths of Stratton Oakmont. It was the horse's first run since May. The ban means Fox will be suspended between December 12 and 21.

Fox has been in good form recently, riding winners at Leicester and Ffos Last last week before picking up a big Saturday chance aboard Funambule Sivola at Ascot. The pair finished sixth in the £100,000 Jim Barry Hurst Park Handicap Chase.

He will head to Wetherby on Wednesday to partner Gallic Geordie in the 1m7f handicap chase.

What the stewards said

An inquiry was held to consider whether Ned Fox, the rider of Mountain Leopard, placed second, which appeared to have gone lame on pulling up had dismounted the gelding at the earliest opportunity.

The rider, the veterinary surgeon and veterinary officer were interviewed, and recordings of the incident were viewed.

Having heard their evidence and after giving consideration to reports from both veterinarians that Mountain Leopard was significantly lame left-fore post-race, Fox was suspended for ten days after being adjudged to have failed to dismount Mountain Legend, which was visibly lame until shortly after entering the chute off the all-weather course.

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