'Last weekend was great, this one not so good' - Heffernan accepts lengthy ban

Seamie Heffernan is not going to contest the 22-day ban dished out to him by the stewards at Chantilly for his use of the whip on Order Of Australia in the Prix du Jockey Club, and says it will be nice not having to spend the next three weeks in a sauna.

Heffernan, who won the Irish Derby on Santiago eight days earlier, hit Order Of Australia 11 times on Sunday, six more than permitted in France after the authorities restricted the number of strikes to five in March last year.

The French stewards are directed to increase the punishment in line with the number of hits over the limit and importance of the race, which is why Heffernan received such a severe ban, but the man himself is taking it on the chin and is actually looking forward to the next few weeks in isolation.

Mishriff and Ioritz Mendizabal land the Prix du Jockey Club at ChantillyCredit: Scoop Dyga / France Galop

Heffernan had already accepted he would be out of action for 14 days on his return to Ireland due to quarantine requirements following his trip to Epsom and Chantilly at the weekend.

Heffernan said: "I won't be appealing the decision. I just don't see the point. Those people have jobs to do and they did their job. You have to look on the bright side in these situations so that's what I'm doing, and it will mean I won't be spending the next three weeks sitting in a sauna. I'll enjoy that!

"I have a farm at home and we have suckler cattle so I'll be busy, don't you worry about that."

Speaking about the race in which he received the ban, Heffernan explained why he had to use his whip so many times.

He said: "I had white paint on my boots after the race! The first five or six times I hit the horse was to try and get him off the rail. He was on the rail and going to hang in over the rail and I thought he was going through it. I knew straight away when I pulled up on him that I would be called in.

"Look, they have their rules and decisions to make and that was the decision that was made. They do what they think they have to do. When you see what's happening all over the world, I'm one of the lucky ones. The previous weekend was a great one for me. This one not so good, but that's just the way it is. There is no point in complaining about it."

Heffernan was on board Russian Emperor in the Derby on Saturday, where he finished seventh to Serpentine, and he thinks it is no fluke that the Aidan O'Brien-trained colts were to the fore.

Heffernan explained: "Some of those horses can turn out to be top class if the gun is not put to their head too early in life and that's what you saw with Serpentine. He was brought along slowly and you saw what he was able to do."

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