Top amateur rider Mark Bradburne was handed a 10-day ban by the Ludlow stewards yesterday afternoon when found guilty of throwing away certain success aboard favourite Seabrook Lad by dropping his hands.
Bradburne appeared to have the Prince of Wales Challenge Trophy Amateur Riders' Handicap Chase in safe keeping but took things too easily yards from the line allowing Angelo's Double to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.
The hapless jockey, who sealed the Fegentri Amateur Riders' World Series last weekend, returned to heckling from a number of irate supporters of the 9 to 4 market leader and, not surprisingly, was called before the stewards to explain his riding.
Seabrook Lad's trainer Charlie Morlock was clearly furious about Bradburne's actions and fumed: "It wasn't bad luck it was bad judgment. The bloke dropped his hands he should have got three months not 10 days."
Bradburne took the stewards' decision on the chin and though reluctant to talk about the matter said: "I'm frustrated about the whole affair but that's a lesson learned as far as I'm concerned."
Anthony Evans was another amateur rider in hot water with the stewards as he was found guilty of improper riding on Gutteridge, trained by his father David, who collapsed and died after finishing an exhausted last of six finishers in the race.
Evans was banned for five days when the stewards found he had jumped the final two fences after appearing to pull-up Gutteridge three out when well out of contention and obviously tired.
Gutteridge, who lost touch with the rest of the field when going down the back straight for the final time, last tasted victory in much more exalted company when beating His Song in a novice chase at Punchestown 13 months ago.
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