Rodriguez and Lundie handed six-month suspensions after positive cocaine tests

Flat jockeys Callum Rodriguez and Kevin Lundie were handed six-month suspensions on Thursday, having tested positive for cocaine on the same afternoon at Southwell on February 27.

Both riders had their licences withdrawn pending Thursday's inquiry when the positive tests were returned, with their six-month suspensions backdated to the beginning of March. Neither rider will be eligible to receive a new licence until September 7 at the earliest.

While Rodriguez, based with Michael Dods and successful in the 2017 Ebor aboard Nakeeta, revealed via a statement issued by the Professional Jockeys Association in March of his failed test, Lundie's suspension only came to light this week.

Callum Rodriguez lands the 2017 Ebor on Nakeeta (far side)Credit: Edward Whitaker

Lundie, a 5lb claimer, has 27 career winners, while Rodriguez has ridden 132 winners.

The riders attended Thursday's BHA disciplinary panel hearing, at which it was heard the pair had returned samples with the presence of banned substance benzoylecgonine, a metabolite of cocaine, at Southwell in February.

The recommended range for a first suspension linking to a banned substance is between one and six months, the exception being for cocaine when the rider will normally have their licence withdrawn at the top of the range.

Full written reasons for both hearings will be released by the panel in due course.

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