Four Jockeys Suspended After Failing To Challenge Winner In Lingfield Race

Mike Davey/Sky Sports

Four apprentice jockeys—Kyle McHugh, Mason Paetel, Warren Fentiman and Chloe Lyons— have been handed 10 day suspensions for failing to challenge the 22 length winner in time, reports Sky Sports.

The incident happened in the opening race, an apprentice handicap, at Lingfield in the UK. The four jockeys let 28-1 winner Certain Style open up a 30 length lead and did not threaten him at any point during the race. 

"We found the four jockeys guilty of failing to take all reasonable and permissible measures so therefore they all got 10 days.” Steward Fergus Sweeney told Sky Sports, "In layman's terms they rode a misjudged race and we went for the entry point as they are all inexperienced riders."

The jockeys’ failure to engage with the race strategy—either by holding back too long or miscalculating their pace—ultimately led to the overwhelming gap that no one could close.

“They’re absolutely gutted. They feel like they’ve let the connections down, people who follow racing, and they’re devastated” Jockey Coach George Baker told Sky Sports after speaking with the four jockeys.