Irish amateur hit with 20-day non-trier ban for his 'too sympathetic' losing ride on Cheltenham favourite

Amateur jockey Billy Coonan was handed a 20-day non-trier ban for his ride on fifth-placed Read To Return in the 3m1f amateur handicap chase at Cheltenham on Saturday.

The six-year-old was backed into 16-5 favourite from 13-2 in the morning but never threatened when beaten six lengths, and the Irish-based rider admitted he was “too sympathetic” when questioned by stewards after his mount trailed the field for much of the contest.

Read To Return was 25 lengths behind the leaders on the turn for home, with Coonan visibly motionless on the Tony Martin-trained runner before the pair finished strongest up the straight to pass the majority of the field. He produced the fastest sectionals in the final two furlongs.

Coonan won the amateurs' Derby at Epsom in August on his only previous ride in Britain, and has ridden one winner from 16 rides over jumps in Ireland, the majority of which have come for Martin.

He admitted to getting further back than intended and blamed his own inexperience. He also accepted the stewards' verdict that he only rode his mount with “real vigour” after jumping the second-last.

Martin described the ride as "one of real inexperience" and reflected that the jockey should have ridden him more prominently rather than allowing him to become detached on the second circuit.

Coonan was suspended for “failing to take all reasonable and permissible measures" throughout the race, which was won by Hascoeur Clermont for Gavin Cromwell.

Tony Martin: described the ride as "one of real inexperience"Credit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

Stewards' report - in full

An enquiry was held into the running and riding of Read Ro Return, ridden by Mr B. M. Coonan and trained by A. J. Martin. Being a 7lb claiming amateur, Coonan was offered the opportunity to be accompanied in the enquiry but declined. 

The gelding settled towards the rear of the field, becoming detached from the main division down the back straight on the final circuit, before Coonan began to ask for an effort for a short period after the third-last fence, before pausing and then resuming after the second-last fence, whereupon the gelding ran on resolutely from an unpromising position to finish fifth, beaten by six lengths. 

The rider and trainer were interviewed and shown recordings of the race. The handicapper offered observations and the veterinary officer performed two examinations of the horse, which was selected for routine testing, and had nothing to report. 

Mr Coonan stated that his instructions were to ride the gelding mid-division to three-quarters of the way back, with the aim of being in striking distance from turning in. He reported that he had got further back than intended in the first half of the race, and that on the second circuit Read To Return felt flat out. 

Coonan acknowledged that he was too sympathetic in his riding, letting the gelding get too far out of its ground, putting this down to his inexperience in the saddle. He continued that he had tried to urge the gelding along at the top of the hill but accepted that his effort was limited and that he only demonstrated real vigour in the saddle having jumped the second-last fence, where Read To Return finished very strongly up the hill. 

The trainer stated that he agreed with the instructions given but informed the stewards that the ride which Mr Coonan had given did not accord with them. He expanded that he had been keen to claim off the gelding, but that in hindsight Mr Coonan’s ride was one of real inexperience and one that had come at too early a stage in the rider’s career. In his opinion, Mr Coonan should have been closer from the outset, ridden the gelding more vigorously on the final circuit and not allowed Read To Return to become detached. 

Mr Coonan was suspended for 20 days for failing to take all reasonable and permissible measures throughout the race, in that he 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 until too late in the race.

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