Maguire to miss out on Peddlers

Jason Maguire suffered a hammer blow at Doncaster with a seven-day suspension ruling him out of the ride on Peddlers Cross in the Stan James Champion Hurdle on March 15.

The in-form Irishman found himself in trouble with the Town Moor stewards following his ride on the Donald McCain-trained Cool Mission, who finished runner-up to Beshabar in a driving finish to the three-mile beginners' chase.

His ban will be effective from March 9-15 inclusive. Five days of the ban was for marking the horse, with two days for using his whip with excessive frequency.

McCain's Peddlers Cross beat reigning two-mile king Binocular in the Fighting Fifth Hurdle in November, and demonstrated his current well-being with a long odds-on success at Kelso last week.

Stipendiary steward Robert Earnshaw said: "He has been suspended for using hiswhip on Cool Mission. The veterinary officer found that the horse had minor weals, for which he was suspended five days.

"He was also suspended two days for using his whip with excessive frequency."