Nicky Mackay (left) partnering Stars In Your Eyes to victory on Monday
PICTURE: attheraces.comMackay 'disappointed' by Wolverhampton ban
NICKY MACKAY declared himself "disappointed" with the Wolverhampton stewards after he was given a ten-day ban for his winning ride on Stars In Your Eyes on Monday.
Mackay was found to have struck the John Gosden-trained favourite ten times on his way to winning by a nose but felt the stewards would find in his favour after the winner veered to the right on more than one occasion.
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Mackay said: "I feel there was not much more I could do. I hit the horse ten times, but in the circumstances I thought I was in danger of going through the fence.
"Coming to the first bend I thought I was going to go down the seven furlong chute and then again coming up the home straight she was violently hanging. If they can't overlook that what chance have you got?
"I don't know how bad it actually has to be for them to let you off or override it. Do you have to go through the fence for them to overlook it?
"I hit the fence a few times and I feel that I was using my whip to correct the filly."
Speaking on At The Races, Mackay added: "They are sitting in there handing out days but half of them have never ridden a horse so they don't know.
"I knew that I had gone over my limit but I wasn't too bothered as I thought they would overlook it and I would get off with it. I am very disappointed with the stewards."
Explaining their decision, stipendiary steward Simon Cowley said: "We took into account how difficult a ride this was for Nicky particularly early on in the race but even bearing that in mind when he used his stick in the home straight the problem that presented itself to us what his use of the stick did not appear to have any effect."
As the offence warranted a suspension at the upper level and taking into account this was Mackay's second such offence, he is banned from February 27 - March 3 and March 5 - March 8.
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