Rob Hornby handed 12-day ban after riding finish a circuit too soon

Rob Hornby was left with egg on his face after a spare ride in the last race at Wolverhampton on Wednesday turned into a nightmare when he rode the finish a circuit too soon on Almutamarred in the 1m6f handicap.

Trained at the track by James Unett, Almutamarred had been the intended mount of George Downing but after an earlier spill left Downing too sore to ride, Unett turned to Hornby.

Hornby mistook the race for a 6f sprint, which shares the same starting position, and passing the stands for the first time drove the five-year-old clear of his rivals.

Despite the urgings of commentator Stewart Machin to continue, Hornby then eased his mount after the post, only recognising his error as the field swamped him soon after. A wave from Josephine Gordon to continue also came too late for the rider.

“It was a last-minute jockey booking and it’s a mistake I won’t make again,” said an apologetic Hornby. “I’m sincerely sorry to the owners and James, who has been very good to me throughout my career. There’s only one person who has made the mistake and that was me."

He added: “I rode in the previous race and it was a spare ride, so I hadn't read the paper thoroughly this morning in this race. Hopefully I’ll never do it again.

“Sorry to all the punters who had an involvement in the horse because it’s a mistake that should not happen.”

The error cost Hornby a 12-day ban, and he will be out of action from January 10-22, with no Flat racing taking place on January 21.

There was no one more disappointed that Unett, who had anticipated a big run from Almutamarred but nevertheless took it on the chin.

"It’s one of those things and it’s happened,” said the trainer. “You can’t undo it and I’m sure Rob is going to be feeling a lot worse than I will be. It’s very annoying because you wait for these races but it’s done.

“He was ready to rock and roll and we’d done a lot of work with him at the stalls. Everything was right for the day in this grade of race. If he’d have sat in and come with a run, he’d have been there or thereabouts.”

He added: “It’s lunacy but he knows he’s made a mistake. He will have to live with it and I’m sure he will get a lot of stick in that weighing room for quite a long time.”

In an eventful race, William Carson was unseated from Miss Dusky Diva leaving the back straight on the final circuit as the field bunched, although appeared to escape any serious injury.

Passing the post for a second time it was Willyegolassiego who secured victory from hot-favourite Bamako Du Chatelet.

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