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Eddie Ahern has been handed a three month ban following a BHA hearing today.
The panel pulled no punches in their criticism of Ahern. A statement from the BHA stated:-
“Ahern hit Marsam 20 times in the last two furlongs and most of those hits were delivered with excessive force. It was a shameful exhibition of riding.
They questioned, “How such an experienced jockey came to behave in this way?
They also asked, “Was it a misguided action borne of his determination to win (Ahern’s case) or was it designed to trigger the beginning of a “totting-up” penalty that he knew was hanging over him at a convenient time of year (the BHA’s case)?
“There were a number of striking features of this case which persuaded the panel that Ahern was indeed engaged in an exercise to bring on his “totting-up” period of suspension and was therefore in breach of Rule 220 (iii).
“He abused Marsam by his grossly excessive use of force for his own disciplinary convenience, and that conduct is highly prejudicial to the proper conduct and good reputation of horseracing.”
I personally believe a three month ban is lenient, not for the disrepute charge but just for the way he beat the horse, it was disgraceful. Even more so taking into account that Ahern is supposed to be a senior jockey. He should know better.
Eddie Ahern has been handed a three month ban following a BHA hearing today.
The panel pulled no punches in their criticism of Ahern. A statement from the BHA stated:-
“Ahern hit Marsam 20 times in the last two furlongs and most of those hits were delivered with excessive force. It was a shameful exhibition of riding.
They questioned, “How such an experienced jockey came to behave in this way?
They also asked, “Was it a misguided action borne of his determination to win (Ahern’s case) or was it designed to trigger the beginning of a “totting-up” penalty that he knew was hanging over him at a convenient time of year (the BHA’s case)?
“There were a number of striking features of this case which persuaded the panel that Ahern was indeed engaged in an exercise to bring on his “totting-up” period of suspension and was therefore in breach of Rule 220 (iii).
“He abused Marsam by his grossly excessive use of force for his own disciplinary convenience, and that conduct is highly prejudicial to the proper conduct and good reputation of horseracing.”
I personally believe a three month ban is lenient, not for the disrepute charge but just for the way he beat the horse, it was disgraceful. Even more so taking into account that Ahern is supposed to be a senior jockey. He should know better.
Given that the horse in question was backed as if defeat was out of the question, and the subject of some very hefty bets, is it not unreasonable to think he was actually trying his damndest to win. It may not have looked pretty, but at least he was trying.
There but for the grace of God goeth a certain Champion jockey?
BTW why has the "quote the entire previous post" virus infected this forum- it’s a bit tedious…..If they have done him for deliberately triggering a suspension, surely they should go knocking on Spencer’s door. The only time Spencer has ridden since Doncaster was at Lingfield on December 8th. Get the video out and have a look at his ride Fajr. You can see him deliberately switch his whip to encourage the horse to hang into the runner-up. Low and behold suspension for careless riding, which takes him over the totting up procedure which means he’ll be suspended for a period when he wouldn’t be in action anyway.
And yet, for such vicious abuse, the HRA gave Ahern the entry level penalty.He should have been banned for whatever the maximum is. If he had done that to one of my horses, I would be consulting with my solicitor.
richard
No excuse for Ahern, but I wonder if the BHA will now reconsider the usefulness of the totting up procedure.
AP
If they have done him for deliberately triggering a suspension, surely they should go knocking on Spencer’s door. The only time Spencer has ridden since Doncaster was at Lingfield on December 8th. Get the video out and have a look at his ride Fajr. You can see him deliberately switch his whip to encourage the horse to hang into the runner-up. Low and behold suspension for careless riding, which takes him over the totting up procedure which means he’ll be suspended for a period when he wouldn’t be in action anyway.
You cannot be serious? Careless riding happens every day of the week and it bears no comparison to Aherns. Think the guy should be applauded, pure genius if you ask me to win the 10 grand race as well
Spencer is well known for fancy dan stuff, especially when his horse is beaten and he manouevres the horse to try and make it look like his horse has been interfered with.
If he stopped trying to be so clever and rode to his talents he would be a very good jockey.
richard
yeats
It is irrelevant what the original offence is for which the two riders have gone over the ‘totting up’ limit. My point is that if the BHA find Ahern to be guilty of breaking Rule 220(iii) which states “No person shall act in a manner which in the opinion of the HRA is prejudicial to the integrity, proper conduct or good reputation of horseracing in Great Britain whether or not such conduct shall constitute a breach of any of the foregoing Orders or Rules of Racing.â€
But how do you prove it, even on the balance of probability?
In Ahern’s case, they have a great big mark on the horse’s backside as evidence.
The marks on Marsam merely proved that Ahern used excessive force, not what his motivations were.
I think the deciding factor in the Ahern case was the first race at the same meeting when he also used the whip with excessive force. However he was only given a caution which did not count towards the totting up process.
The panel took the view that Ahern’s subsequent "effort" on Marsam was to make sure he got a ban, despite the warning given after the first race.
BTW why has the "quote the entire previous post" virus infected this forum- it’s a bit tedious…..
Mainly because it’s bloody hard work not to!
I've stumbled on the side of twelve misty mountains
I've walked and I crawled on six crooked highways
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