RACING: Jockey Dean McKeown and trainer Nick Littmoden were in hot water at Catterick yesterday when they were both hit with heavy punishments under the non-triers rule.
McKeown was suspended for 15 days and Littmoden fined £1,700 over the running and riding of Laggan Minstrel who finished seventh, beaten six and a half lengths, behind Santisima Trinidad in the Tote Bookmakers Stakes.
Laggan Minstrel, who was previously trained by Richard Hannon, was having his first run for Littmoden and was banned from running for 40 days.
Stipendary steward Robert Earnshaw explained: "The trainer was found to be in breach of Rule 155 (i) and (ii) and the jockey in breach of Rule 158, which in effect govern horses not being ridden to obtain the best possible placing. It was the jockey's second similar offence within two years."
McKeown will be sidelined from November 14th to December 3rd, and he said: "I admit I have given the horse a moderate ride, but I can't understand why the trainer has been fined.
"He has only had the horse five days and he said to get him settled and come in the last two furlongs as you can see he has done in his races in the past.
"That is what I tried to do but things did not work out."
The prospect of an appeal from McKeown seems unlikely as he added with a wry smile: "I will miss a couple of weeks on the all-weather so I suppose I will have to take a holiday - c'est la vie!"
Keith Dalgleish was also on the receiving end of a one-day suspension in the same race for using his whip above shoulder-height.
Classy French hurdler Jair Du Cochet gave a flawless display on his debut over British fences at Folkestone yesterday.
Guillaume Macaire's five-year-old tracked the early leader Captain Zinzan in the Fred Nason Memorial Novices' Chase before going on turning for home and, jumping fluently, stretched clear to record an impressive 12-length victory over The Staggery Boy.
After the race the French trainer expressed himself satisfied with the favourite's performance.
Jair Du Cochet's last visit to Britain resulted in a seventh place behind compatriot Baracouda in the Bonusprint Stayers' Hurdle at the National Hunt Festival and Cheltenham could once again be on the agenda with the Royal & SunAlliance Chase a consideration. Coral's trimmed the gelding's price for that race from 16 to 1 to 14 to 1.
