Ruby Walsh: 'The fouler gets the benefit in racing - I'm not sure that's right'

Ruby Walsh criticised Britain's rules on interference following a controversial Norfolk Stakes, claiming the current system favours the "fouler" when it comes to decisions taken in the stewards' room.

The former champion jump jockey was speaking after the stewards ruled not to change the result of the Thursday opener, in which 50-1 shot The Ridler veered across the path of a number of horses when winning the 5f Group 2 contest under Paul Hanagan, who received a ten-day ban for careless riding.

Pundit Kevin Blake, speaking on Sky Sports Racing, described it as "committing a professional foul" without consequences while former rider Freddy Tylicki said "a ride like that shouldn't be happening".

Walsh pinpointed the third horse, Crispy Cat, as one whose chances suffered particularly while fourth-placed finisher Brave Nation was another who was notably unlucky.

Speaking on ITV, Walsh said: "The question is did the winner improve his position, no, but did he disimprove [sic] the position of one of the others? He did with the third horse.

"They are the rules, but if you were the connections of the second or third, which I know in this case are the same, then that has to be taken into account. The fouler gets the benefit of the doubt in racing, rather than the fouled. I'm not sure if that's right.

"The third horse, you could argue, was cost second place but that's the rub of the green. That's racing."

The Ridler and Paul Hanagan on their way to a controversial Norfolk Stakes triumphCredit: Edward Whitaker

Steve Cauthen and commentator Mark Johnson said the horse would be disqualified in other jurisdictions – a claim the BHA later disagreed with in a statement, stressing only rules in the US and Canada may have led to a disqualification.

Johnson, who has called races for more than 30 years, said: "There will be lots of people watching this in places like America or France and scratching their heads wondering how that horse wasn't disqualified and placed behind the horses he affected. I'm completely behind Ruby here, he should be placed fourth and [he would] in any of the other jurisdictions."

Cauthen, a legendary rider on both sides of the Atlantic, agreed that The Ridler would have been disqualified by US stewards. However, he argued the winner was the best horse on the day.

"He looked like he was the best and in America these days he would probably lose the race. He'd be thrown out," he said. "What I like is that usually you use your judgement of was he the best horse in the race or was one of the horses in behind going to win or get a better placing then you leave the winner the winner. He was the best on the day."

In response to Johnson's comments, a BHA spokesperson said: "When interference occurs, the initial task of stewards is to establish whether the interference warrants an amendment of the placings. This requires the team to determine whether, if not for the interference, the sufferer would have finished in front of the horse causing the interference.

"Ultimately, applying this approach, the best horse on the day should be the one that wins. This is the approach supported and promoted by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA) and consistently applied across the majority of leading racing nations.

"Other than in the US and Canada, every major racing nation applies the same model as here in Britain. In fact, other nations such as Japan, France and Germany have all transitioned to the British approach over recent years, with all observing the number of interference enquiries decreasing significantly as a result."

How the incident unfolded

The Ridler (far left) surges into contention in the Norfolk Stakes under Paul HanaganCredit: Sky Sports Racing

The Ridler (red silks) veers left, inconveniencing Crispy Cat (purple) inside the final furlongCredit: Sky Sports Racing

Silvestre de Sousa is forced to snatch up on the Michael O'Callaghan-trained Crispy Cat (purple)Credit: Sky Sports Racing

The Ridler (red silks) continues to hang to his left and starts to come across Brave Nation (yellow and green)Credit: Sky Sports Racing

Brave Nation and James Doyle (green and yellow) are badly hampered as The Ridler veers badly leftCredit: Sky Sports Racing

The Ridler, a 50-1 winner, heads for the line under Paul Hanagan, riding for Richard FaheyCredit: Sky Sports Racing

The in-running comment

The Ridler

In touch with leaders, pushed along on far side of group over 2f out, pressed leader over 1f out, ridden and hung badly left inside final furlong, soon hampered rivals, led and kept on strongly final 110yds

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The Ridler survives review to spring huge 50-1 shock for Fahey and Hanagan

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