Fell voices disappointment after 40-day non-trier ban for Newcastle runner

Roger Fell on Tuesday expressed his disappointment over the decision of stewards at Newcastle on Monday night to ban his runner La Trinidad for 40 days after they deemed the trainer and jockey Paula Muir had "intentionally failed to ensure that their horse ran on its merits".

Opening at 100-1, La Trinidad went off a 50-1 shot for Newcastle's median auction maiden stakes, in which he finished sixth, eight and three-quarter lengths behind the James Tate-trained winner High Accolade, who returned as the 11-10 favourite.

The Racing Post's in-running comment for Fell's juvenile read: "Took keen hold, held up, shaken up and steady headway over one furlong out, never near leaders".

However, stewards on duty ruled that the son of Bated Breath "appeared capable of reaching a challenging position before being intentionally never asked to do so".

They did not punish Fell or 5lb claimer Muir, instead referring the matter to the BHA's London headquarters for further scrutiny, which could result in a fine for the North Yorkshire trainer and a suspension for the jockey.

Muir, 24, who has had 46 winners on the Flat in Britain but never one on a two-year-old, told the stewards "her instructions were that as the gelding had dwelt in its last two races, to get him settled and get him balanced and let him run his race".

Fell was not at Newcastle and, while he has unhappy with the stewards' ruling, he did concede that perhaps more of an effort could have been made in the saddle.

"I feel very sad and disappointed with the event," he said. "I was trying to get the horse confident because he was nearly brought down the last time he ran at Beverley.

"Paula was told to give the horse an educational ride and told to pass horses, but, in my opinion, she could have passed one or two more. But we were just trying to boost his confidence and I'm upset and sorry if the stewards thought we were doing anything more than that."

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