'I've learned a big lesson and it'll never happen again' - jockey hit with 18-day ban after easing down mistake results in dead-heat

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Apprentice Connor Planas has received an 18-day suspension for failing to ride out on a horse that would have finished an outright winner but only managed to dead-heat for first.

Planas appeared to be on course for a comfortable success on Supaspecialawesome, but he eased down prematurely in the closing stages on the Hugo Palmer-trained four-year-old. That mistake allowed the fast-finishing Atlantic Gamble to dead-heat for first under Brandon Wilkie.

Planas said: "I looked up at the screen half a furlong out and I was two lengths clear and nobody looked like coming from the pack, they all were going one pace. It was only when I came into the stewards' room when I found out the screen was a touch behind and when I thought I was clear there was a horse who was coming.

"I started riding again, I only stopped for two strides if that, but the horse has come up beside me and I've kind of got away with it being a dead-heat because I would've been hit with a bigger ban if I'd finished second."

He added: "It's not ideal, things have just got going for me and I've had three winners in the last eight days. I was struggling to get a winner when I came back after the winter, so now I've been hit with 18 days and it's a long time to stop riding for an apprentice.

"I've learned a big lesson and it'll never happen again. Luckily Mr Palmer and the owners were very nice to me and they said everyone makes mistakes, I just need to learn from them."

The stewards' report subsequently revealed a lengthy suspension, which Planas will serve from July 15 to August 1.

The report said: "Conor Planas, the rider of Supaspecialawesome, which dead-heated for first place, had appeared to stop riding shortly before the winning post. After being interviewed and shown recordings of the incident, Planas was suspended for 18 days for failing to ride out on a horse that would have finished as the outright winner."

Hurdles option

James Owen expressed his delight after Rogue King registered a first victory in the 1m4f handicap and the trainer hopes a career over obstacles could be an option in the future.

Owned by The Rogues Gallery, the three-year-old broke his maiden at the eighth attempt, having also blanked in three starts for Tom Clover before moving yards.

"It’s been a bit frustrating we hadn’t won with him until now," said Owen. "He seemed to enjoy himself and he should win again over the Flat and definitely over hurdles.

"He’s been schooling very well over them and it won’t be long before he makes his hurdling debut. I think he’ll do very well later in the summer and he’ll be a nice dual-purpose horse."

Huge strides

Umbria showed significant improvement from her debut to get off the mark for Ed Walker in the 1m1½f novice.

The three-year-old filly only beat one rival at Goodwood on her debut in May, but she pulled a length and three-quarters clear of 33-1 shot Star Time. 

Form counts

The Robert Cowell-trained Fidelius has been a consistent performer and recorded a second victory from his last three starts in the opening 5f handicap.

The three-year-old son of Harry Angel has now finished inside the top three in six of his eight starts.

Another one

Bakersboy ended his long wait for a victory in the 1m1½f handicap for Alice Haynes. 

The six-year-old, whose last success came with Phil McEntee in March 2022, has shown signs of improvement in his four starts for Haynes and finished half-a-length clear of Warrior Square.

Read these next:

'He's just a star' - globetrotting Dubai Honour adds another Group 1 to his CV with win in Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud 

'He has an unbelievable pedigree' - Henri Matisse 10-1 for the 2,000 Guineas after giving Aidan O'Brien a 14th Railway Stakes 

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