'They're saying he should've got stuck into him but I disagree' - Greatrex defends rider Dylan Kitts after 14-day non-trier ban

Warren Greatrex has defended the ride given to Jet Of Dreams by conditional jockey Dylan Kitts after the stewards gave him a 14-day non-trier ban at Warwick on Saturday evening and said the considerate handling of a problematic horse was evidence of the rider's maturity.

The runner-up in the 2m maiden hurdle was deemed by the stewards not to have been ridden for the best possible placing when six and a half lengths behind odds-on winner Soldierofthestorm.

Jet Of Dreams was ridden in midfield and progressed into fourth, when visibly travelling well, on the turn for home. Kitts did not appear to put him under pressure until the final furlong where he finished strongly to beat 50-1 shot Rockette for second.

Greatrex said the ride was not "all-action" but stressed the horse had issues with his wind – which was reported by Kitts to the stewards – and was hanging left-handed due to soreness in his near-fore tendon, so a more cautious ride was required and a more "vigorous" effort would not have improved the horse's placing.

'If he'd been more vigorous, would he have run better? No'

The trainer said: "They [the stewards] have to make a decision but I think the lad in the situation did ride him to finish in the best position with a horse that hasn't been easy, has been keen, and hadn't been finishing his races. He was trying to the best he could on that horse. They're saying he should've got stuck into him but I disagree.

"Sometimes you have to give credit where it's due and the young 7lb claimer has given the horse the best he ride he possibly could. Looking at the horse's history, I was happy with how he'd ridden it.

"If he'd been more vigorous, would he have run better? No, but that's their decision on the day. If he'd given it an all-action ride the horse would've fallen in a hole. In my opinion, he's ridden that horse like a mature rider and he's done what I've told him to do. He's got to feel during that race what that horse is feeling to him. He felt he was hanging and was making a noise, which he's done in the past."

Greatrex said Kitts would take the verdict "on the chin" and hailed the rider as a bright talent. He has ridden 11 winners, with the majority for the Lambourn yard.

"It's a shame because he's a very good rider going places, but we'll move on," Greatrex added. "I've been lucky and I think I've made two champions in Gavin Sheehan and Harry Bannister, while Caoilin Quinn was with me for a few years, but this kid is as good as them. He's got a serious career ahead of him. If he keeps his head down he's going to be good."

Jet Of Dreams, who had run just three days before at Fontwell, was sent off at 6-1, having opened at 5-1.

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