Conditional jockey banned for 28 days after appearing to mistake half-furlong pole for winning line at Worcester

Dylan Johnston remains in the drive position on The Bold Thady as Gale eases up on

Dylan Johnston remains in the drive position on The Bold Thady as Elizabeth Gale eases up on Catuaba

Conditional jockey Elizabeth Gale has been banned for 28 days after appearing to mistake the half-furlong pole for the winning line in the 2m7f handicap hurdle.

The 7lb claimer, who was riding Catuaba for her boss Charlie Longsdon, stood up in her irons at the half-furlong pole when her mount held a length lead over The Bold Thady.

Dylan Johnston kept in the drive position on The Bold Thady, who headed Catuaba in the final strides as Gale eased up on the 15-2 shot.

Gale resumed riding once spotting the eventual 25-1 winner on her outside, but it was too late as Catuaba was beaten a head.

Gale was accompanied by multiple Grade 1-winning rider Gavin Sheehan in a stewards’ inquiry, where the 22-year-old was banned for 28 days for failing to take all reasonable and permissible measures to obtain the best possible placing on a horse who would have finished first.

Longsdon, who had been preparing Gale’s next mount, Ikigai Star, for the following race during the inquiry, told Sky Sports Racing: “The worst thing is she’s given him the best ride I’ve seen that horse [been given]. He’s not a straightforward horse. He’s not always the most genuine.

“She’s stolen the race turning in and then that happens. I feel gutted for her. It’s a genuine mistake, but she’s got to take her punishment. Some people say it’s happened a few times here before and maybe we should take the half-furlong pole away, but there’s no excuses.”

Gale was having her 111th ride under rules, with her sole winner for Longsdon having been when helping Catuaba justify 5-2 favouritism at Stratford in July.

Her nine domestic winners include success in a £35,000 veterans’ handicap chase aboard Celebre D'Allen for Philip Hobbs and Johnson White last October.

Ikigai Star was second under Gale in the 2m handicap hurdle for conditional riders after the stewards’ inquiry.

Gale becomes the second rider to receive a 28-day ban for failing to ride out to the line recently, after Alec Voikhansky was given the same punishment at Bath last month.

Callum Shepherd also had an 18-day ban for the same offence at Kempton overturned on appeal last Tuesday.