Ronan McNally and Kevin Sexton to appeal against Limerick non-trier rule breach

Ronan McNally and Kevin Sexton will appeal against a running-and-riding breach at Limerick on Thursday that saw the trainer fined €2,000 and jockey banned for ten days.

A stewards' inquiry was called after 25-1 shot Ithaka finished sixth in a 2m4f maiden hurdle restricted to horses who had yet to be placed in three or more runs under rules.

Having been as short as 13-2 in the morning, the six-year-old was positioned towards the rear for most of the contest until moving from last (14th) to seventh between four and three hurdles out.

Ithaka traded at 6.2 on Betfair when improving into third at the top of the straight under a hands-and-heels ride, but did not quicken up sufficiently to get on terms with the leaders. He was beaten nine and three-quarter lengths.

McNally told the Limerick stewards that he "gave no riding instructions" to Sexton, who appeared to use his whip once in the closing stages between the final two flights, and was happy with the ride and performance of the horse.

Having viewed a recording of the race and considered the evidence, the stewards were satisfied the trainer and jockey were in breach of rule 212A(ii), related to "timely, real and substantial efforts" being made.

Dreal Deal: progressed from 84-rated handicap hurdler to Grade 2 Moscow Flyer Novice Hurdle scorerCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Ithaka, who was pulled up on his stable debut at Kilbeggan and beaten 55 lengths at Down Royal on his two previous runs for the yard, will not be permitted to run for 42 days.

McNally confirmed he has instructed his solicitor to lodge an appeal against the decision and Sexton will also contest the decision.

The trainer is already awaiting the outcome of a long-running investigation into the improvement of his horses Dreal Deal and The Jam Man, both prolific improvers who have won when well supported in the market.

Similar investigations are also ongoing in relation to All Class and Full Noise, who landed gambles at Navan and Punchestown when trained by David Dunne last year. McNally revealed last summer that he owned both horses and the pair have run under his name since.

In November, the Armagh-based trainer said he felt "treated very, very harshly" by the IHRB, adding he felt "pulled out of the crowd to be made an example of".

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