Jockey suspended after race descends into carnage with horse smashing barrier

A jockey has been suspended for two weeks after being deemed responsible for a chaotic finish to a race at Newton Abbey on Saturday.

With just two fences left in the Fudge Bassett Memorial National Hunt Maiden Hurdle, San Giovanni, who was in contention, careered into a barrier with Kevin Brogan aboard. The jockey himself was flung from the saddle, although both runner and rider escaped serious injury.

However, the accident only came after Extraordinary Man, ridden by Brendan Powell, was steered towards San Giovanni and cramped him for room. In the carnage that followed, Powell was also unseated, with Extraordinary Man continuing unseated and disrupting the final stages.

Amid the drama, 80-1 outside Holerday Ridge surged to the front to the win. Inevitably, the British Horseracing Authority investigated the incident, with Powell promptly suspended.

In a released statement, they said: "An enquiry was held to consider interference approaching the second last hurdle when EXTRAORDINARY MAN (FR), ridden by Brendan Powell, interfered with SAN GIOVANNI (IRE), ridden by Kevin Brogan, who ran out on the approach to the hurdle.

"Brendan Powell was suspended for 14 days for improper riding as after realising that Brogan was improving his position to his inside, he continued to ride a overly competitive line, causing interference when it ought to have been obvious that by riding that line interference would result, and contributing but not causing SAN GIOVANNI (IRE) to run out prior to the lead in rail of the hurdle."

Did the jockey get off lightly with just a 14-day ban? Let us know in the comments section.

A video clip of the incident was posted by the @AtTheRaces Twitter account, with followers seemingly in agreement that Brogan was deservedly punished: "That’s what you call Karma!" said @JkEquine, of the ban.

@Namdalla93 added the punishment was light, adding: "Powell has to be given a big ban for this. Lucky to escape serious injury because of some seriously dangerous riding. This is the sort of thing they really need to hammer them for."

@Madonsport implied it was fortunate there were no serious casualties: "Very lucky the ban wasn't as severe as it might have been pretty lenient I would say. At the end of day though thank goodness both jockeys and horses came out of it unscathed health wise."

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