Jockey Danny Mullins' one-day Cheltenham Festival ban quashed following successful appeal

Danny Mullins has successfully appealed against a one-day suspension handed to him following the start of the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

Mullins, Philip Byrnes, Michael O'Sullivan, Harry Swan and David Noonan were all given one-day bans for a breach of misconduct after starter Robbie Supple had to declare two false starts. Luca Morgan was banned for two days as it was his second offence within 12 months.

In the stewards' report, Supple reported the riders had not approached the tape at a walk or jig-jog, particularly on the second occasion. The BHA argued that after Mullins had completed his turn to face the starter, he had sat into the saddle, encouraging his mount to go forward and ultimately contributing to the false start.

Giving evidence to the disciplinary panel, Mullins said: "Both myself and Mark Walsh [rider of Tekao] are beginning to turn, but once I have made the turn, I have not encouraged my horse to go forward.

"It's my obligation to turn and face the starter, and await his instructions. I have been the last one to turn around and gain sight of the flag and although I engaged my mount to turn around, I never engaged him to move forward. It's quite clear to see by my legs and hands that I'm restraining my horse.

"The other horses around me have engaged and gone well past me, I wasn't in the front rank, which Mr Supple rightly said had advanced before the flag had been dropped."

Returning the verdict, panel chairman Philip Curl said: "Having considered carefully all the evidence, in particular having the luxury of seeing the various video angles in slow motion, we are not satisfied that the BHA has established that there was a breach of the starting rules on this occasion."

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