Murphy not to appeal ban

Timmy Murphy has decided not to appeal against the seven-day ban he picked up at Ludlow earlier this week. Murphy will be out of action from February 20th-26th.

Murphy was punished for his riding of Oasis Banus, who finished eighth in a Maiden Hurdle at the Shropshire track on Wednesday.

Oasis Banus, trained by Martin Pipe and out of the frame in all his four previous starts, went off a 22 to 1 chance and was beaten 46 lengths by the winner Jack's Lad.

The stewards found Murphy to be in breach of rule 158 in that he failed to take all measures to ensure his horse was given full opportunity to obtain the best possible placing.

His legal representative, Rory Mac Neice, said:"I think it probably does come down to a difference of opinion in the end and there is very little Timmy can do about it."

Juddmonte Farms general manager Philip Mitchell has been disqualified for three months at the Jockey Club as the saga over Endless Summer drew to a close.

Mitchell was called to a disciplinary panel hearing into breaches of the rules which occurred when Endless Summer ran in races restricted to two-year-olds in 2000, including when he won the prestigious Richmond Stakes at Goodwood.

It was subsequently revealed that the colt had not been foaled on January 2nd, as was registered, but on December 26th, making him officially a three-year-old at the time of the contests.

The panel found that Mitchell, on being informed by the stud manager that Well Away had produced a colt foal by Zafonic on December 26th, gave instructions that the date of foaling should be falsely registered as January 2nd.

The panel found Mitchell guilty under Rule 201(v) in that he had committed a fraudulent practice, and he was made a disqualified person from February 19th to May 19th.