Dettori ban `a joke'

Frankie Dettori yesterday attacked Irish racing authorities as he prepares to contest the bans he picked up at The Curragh last Sunday.

The former champion insisted he felt cheated over his punishments at the Irish Derby meeting.

He warned that similar treatment would result in jockeys wanting to avoid riding in Ireland.

Dettori was suspended for five days for improper riding and a further seven days for wearing a defective back protector.

He will try to get the bans overturned at a hearing at the Irish Turf Club on Monday.

Dettori, speaking during racing at Sandown Park, described the ban for the defective body protector as "an absolute joke, you get less for murder".

The jockey was reported by the Turf Club's senior medical officer Walter Halley for removing the tailpiece to avoid aggravating a back problem.

"I've ridden in Ireland numerous times with the protector and nobody's said anything before," he said.

"Maybe it was Derby day and everybody was getting excited. In the heat of the moment everybody was getting out of control," he said.

"We are all very conscious of safety. I even ride work wearing my protector and I feel cheated by this.

"I do like to go to Ireland - people treat me well - but if these circumstances go on it's going to put a lot of people off."

Dettori also took issue with his ban for improper riding aboard Altibr in the Budweiser International Stakes. The interference that took place was "next to nothing", he said.

Dettori will be on the sidelines from July 7th-15th and 17th-19th if the appeal is unsuccessful. He will miss two days of the Newmarket July meeting as well as the John Smith's Cup at York and the Irish Oaks.