Robert Havlin to appeal against 'quite bizarre' five-day careless riding ban

Jockey Robert Havlin has indicated he is prepared to fight the careless riding ban he was given at Haydock on Saturday, a decision he described as "quite bizarre".

Havlin was suspended for five days after his ride on the John and Thady Gosden-trained Lancashire Oaks winner Free Wind, having gone for a gap on the inside of Jim Crowley on Eshaada only to be squeezed out and forced to switch round.

The 48-year-old will attempt to get the penalty overturned, and said: "It's very black and white for me. I got halfway in and Jim's horse moved back in on top of me. I kept my line, my line was up the rail.

"I can't get my head around where the five days has come from. It's quite bizarre really. They said I was still trying to stay in there as the gap was closing, but that's not on me. I argued the case that I had to keep in there because you've got to keep kicking or else you're going to go down.

"Obviously, we're looking to appeal. Nobody can really see where it's coming from, everyone's a bit baffled. I have to go through the appeals process unless somebody at the BHA has a look at it on Monday and decides that it shouldn't go that far."

There was considerable social media criticism of the official verdict that he had caused "considerable interference" as he "persisted and committed for his run into an insufficient gap which was only briefly viable between the running rail and Eshaada".

That was echoed by former champion jockey Richard Hughes, who trained a winner at Haydock on Saturday and said: "I thought Rab was unlucky to get banned. If there's a gap you're allowed to take it. If you leave a gap you have to leave it open.

"I thought it was a bit strange. If you pull out you're in danger of falling, you have to keep going. That's self preservation. You have to keep going, you don't have a choice, even if they’re coming on top of you, you have to keep going in. I was shocked when he got five days.”

Robert Havlin: five-day ban from Haydock stewards after his Lancashire Oaks victory on Free WindCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

Fellow former rider George Baker added: "There was a gap there and he was very much entitled to go into it – and when Jim Crowley identified he was in there, he kept him tight.

"I think the stewards got it wrong; it was a poor decision. Robert Havlin should not have got days for that; he had every right to go for a gap that was there.

"It wasn't as though he panicked and went for a gap; he had a lot of horse under him. It wasn't a last resort and the only way he could win the race."

Free Wind was the third Lancashire Oaks winner Havlin has ridden, all for the Gosden stable, with the latest success a record ninth in the Group 2 race for the yard.

More to read:

Havlin banned as Free Wind breezes off trouble in running to win Lancashire Oaks

Soumillon simply brilliant in the heat of battle - despite his 12-day ban

Frustrated Fanning facing long road to recovery after Musselburgh fall

The Front Runner is our latest email newsletter available exclusively to Members' Club Ultimate subscribers. Chris Cook, a four-time Racing Reporter of the Year award winner, provides his take on the day's biggest stories and tips for the upcoming racing every morning from Monday to Friday