Tom Marquand set to appeal against three-day Goodwood careless riding ban

Jockey Tom Marquand is set to appeal against the three-day careless riding ban he picked up after scoring on Rocchigiani in Friday's Group 3 Thoroughbred Stakes at Goodwood.

Following an unsuccessful objection from Norway-based Raphael Freire, the trainer of fifth-placed Hotline Bling, Marquand was suspended by the stewards after Hotline Bling's rider Manuel Martinez had become short of room and had to check his mount around a furlong and a half from the winning line.

After watching the race several times since and speaking to solicitor Rory Mac Neice, Marquand thinks there are legitimate claims for an appeal.

Speaking on Saturday morning, he said: "I was sorry that it happened to them because they'd brought their horse a long way but in hindsight, in my mind, there are grounds for an appeal.

"Goodwood is a complicated track and when we got to the elbow he [Martinez] didn't really turn and went in a straight line and James Doyle [aboard The Wizard Of Eye] slipped up his inside.

"Just as I brought my horse around the elbow, he literally stepped in for a stride. Because he has gone to go straight on at the elbow and not turn, that's what has caused the interference."

Tom Marquand with connections of Rocchigiani at GoodwoodCredit: Mark Cranham (racingpost.com/photos)

The three-day ban is set to start on Friday, August 12. As well as ruling Marquand out of Hungerford Stakes day at Newbury the following afternoon, it denies him the opportunity to contest the Group 1 Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville on August 14, a likely target for the William Haggas-trained Maljoom.

With no Group 1 race in Britain over that weekend, Marquand is unable to defer the suspension.

The rider said: "I thought I reacted to it as fast as I possibly could. There was a stride and a half and then I've corrected. A stride and a half isn't even three-quarters of a second, so if they want faster reactions than that it's unrealistic.

"I haven't picked my stick up or anything silly like that, I purely asked him to go forward, he's stepped in for a stride and then I was quick to drag him straight off again. It was unfortunate but I'd imagine I'll be going through the process of appealing."

He added: "There was interference but my riding wasn't the problem and that's the whole point of the appeal process. You can walk away from yesterday, sit down and have a look at it and, if you feel it probably wasn't the right outcome, you have the opportunity to appeal."

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