The Fakenham hunter chase

That's why there are rules. I've no doubt he was in a tough spot, and with the adrenaline flowing, but the welfare of his horse has to come first in that situation.

The amateur rider was in a position whereby whatever the outcome he was going to cause controversy.

The horse was taking the mickey by trying and virtually succeding in pulling himself up, and he was doing his best to keep the revs up going into the last.

I think the stewards should have spoken to the amateur but, in my opinion, the 12 day suspention wasn't justified. Doubtless he wouldn't have got that many rides in that period but it makes the headlines and to the reader it looks bad on his part.

Its clear the the horse has his ears pricked throughout the closing stages of the race and its disappointing for the jockey with the headlines like those in the Daily Mirror.

No, he shouldn't have got a 12 day ban, it should have been much longer.

If you had a load of cash going onto the horse Strontium i'm pretty sure you'd want the jockey to do everything he possibly could to get horse over the last. Doubt very much McCoy, Walsh, Geraghty etc would have got 12 days for trying their utmost to win for the punters.

Frankly, no. I would doubtless have been disappointed. But I was disgusted by what the jockey actually chose to do.

Didn't look good but put in an impossible situation, race worth nearly 5k to the owner having her 1st winner and potentially a mob of howling punters screaming abuse at him afterwards if he didn't attempt to jump the last.

Yes, I accept that the jockey was under a great deal of pressure in the heat of the moment. It's a race from which lessons could be learned (if those involved want to).

where in rules does it state tired horses are to pulled up?

Rule 26.2:

A Jockey must pull up their horse whenever:

it is lame or injured;

it has no more to give or has tailed off through fatigue;

I had already heard about this race having not seen it live and I assumed the jockey was beaten and being given too hard a time but in reality it was very different. When has this ever happened before in such circumstances? ie only one horse in the race and pulled up and voiding the race?

It had more to give as started to go again when it saw the loose one. I was at Towcester years ago when nothing finished and the race was voided. Something like this only happens once a generation, I personally feel some leniency was in order. There appears to be no consideration of how difficult it would be for any jockey to pull up when their horse is idling, he's the last one in the race with just one fence to jump.

strontium 14 Mar 26 13:16 
Rule 26.2:

A Jockey must pull up their horse whenever:

it has no more to give

ambiguous.

Yes Rico, a judgement for the stewards.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/WunrLbcM4TA

Looks like a few jocks in the Midlands National had yesterdays events on their mind - several pulled up before the last when place money was there for the taking.

probably got a warning from the feds before the race