‘Absolutely no excuses’ - Paul Nicholls left frustrated by Lorcan Williams ride as Newbury winner faces disqualification

Paul Nicholls expressed his frustration over Lorcan Williams' ride on Captain Bellamy, with the Newbury novice hurdle winner expected to be disqualified after his jockey appeared to breach rules on overuse of the whip.

The 14-time champion trainer said it was "inevitable" the 7-2 shot would lose Wednesday's race. Nicholls stated he had counted 11 uses of the whip, which is four above the threshold of seven permitted in a jump race and the point at which the offence results in a disqualification. 

If the number of strikes is found to be correct, Captain Bellamy could be disqualified at the next meeting of the BHA's whip review committee and Williams suspended for at least two weeks.

Williams appeared to hit Captain Bellamy once after the second-last hurdle and ten times on the run-in. The five-year-old's lead was diminishing fast in the closing stages, but he was able to deny De Kingpin by a head.

Nicholls, who has given Williams 77 winners from 414 rides, said: "Rules are rules and I can't do anything about that. I counted 11 straight away. Seven is seven and you hit one 11 times, what do you expect? I don't have a lot of sympathy, whether you like the rules or don't you have to abide by them.

"It's disappointing, there's absolutely no excuse at all. I won't have any sympathy for him if he loses the race. These are professional jockeys, they know what the rules are. I'd say it [losing the race] is inevitable. I worked that straight out. It's frustrating for everyone, he's a nice horse."

Lorcan Williams and Captain Bellamy jump the last hurdle at NewburyCredit: Alan Crowhurst

If Williams is found to have used the whip 11 times or more by the review committee, Captain Bellamy will become the eighth horse to be disqualified since the implementation of the new rules in February 2023. 

Williams was suspended for 18 days for overuse of the whip in the first week the rules were enforced after a winning ride on Makin'yourmindup in a Grade 2 at Haydock, which meant he missed the following month's Cheltenham Festival.

The following season he enjoyed a breakthrough at jump racing's biggest meeting when Golden Ace landed the Mares' Novice Hurdle for Jeremy Scott, who has since appointed Williams as his stable jockey.

Nicholls has been without stable number one Harry Cobden in recent days, with the champion jockey injured, but he is booked to return at Ascot on Friday.

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