'I couldn't believe it' - Noel Meade fined €2,000 and jockey banned for ten days

Thursday: Thurles

Noel Meade was fined €2,000, rider Sean Flanagan was banned for ten days and his mount Bugs Moran was banned for 42 days after trainer and rider were found to be in breach of Rule 212 for the running and riding of the five-year-old in the 1m7½f maiden hurdle won by Adamantly Chosen.

Bugs Moran was a running-on fourth, beaten just over 40 lengths, with Flanagan, who was riding the horse on the track for the first time, telling stewards he was instructed to drop him out as he can be very keen at home, to switch him off and do the best he could.

Flanagan admitted he was further back early on than he had hoped and that in future he would ride Bugs Moran differently. He also accepted he could have finished third, but felt he was riding at his strongest in the closing stages.

Members can watch the race here

Having heard all the evidence, the stewards decided the horse was not seen to have been the subject of a genuine attempt to achieve its best possible placing and issued their penalties.

Meade, who was in England, commented later by phone: "I couldn't believe it. I'm definitely going to appeal, as far as I'm concerned the horse was doing his best."

Amazement as trainer given £4,000 fine for non-trier at Doncaster

Yank just dandy for Ryan

John Ryan has never been shy in his opinion of The Little Yank and the seven-year-old put up one of his smoothest performances when landing the feature 2m4f novice hurdle.

Liam Quinlan's mount eased past odds-on shot Ash Tree Meadow early in the straight and stretched clear after the last to win by nine lengths, taking full advantage of the 13lb he was getting from the favourite.

It was the 36th winner of an unforgettable season for Ryan, and for The Little Yank it followed on from an excellent third in one of the big handicap hurdles at the Dublin Racing Festival the previous weekend.

The Little Yank: won the 2m4f novice hurdle under Liam QuinlanCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Ryan said: "My daughter Gillian transformed him. We had been running him and running him and couldn't figure out what was wrong, but she figured out he was suffering from ulcers. We're on top of it now. He won two bumpers for us and we thought he was going to be a real good horse, hopefully he's coming back to that level again."

He added: "He didn't half win today. I was going to run him in a beginners' chase but Gillian wouldn't let me, we want him for summer novice chases and he's going to be a smashing chaser. Since Christmas he has really come right.

"Liam is a gifted rider and he doesn't get the credit he deserves. He's a colourful character to say the least, but he's a good lad!"

Results, replays and analysis

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The Front Runner is our latest email newsletter available exclusively to Members' Club Ultimate subscribers. Chris Cook, a four-time Racing Reporter of the Year award winner, provides his take on the day's biggest stories and tips for the upcoming racing every morning from Monday to Friday