Permission was given for Matata (IRE) to wear a red hood and go early to post.

Permission was also given for Traprain Law (FR) to wear a red hood to post.

An enquiry was held into the running and riding of Unexpected Party (FR), ridden by Harry Atkins and trained by Dan Skelton which jumped off towards the rear and raced in the rear division throughout before staying on gradually under tender handling from the third last fence.

The rider and the trainer were interviewed and shown recordings of the race; the Handicapper offered observations and the Veterinary Officer examined the gelding on two occasions post-race during routine testing and reported that aside from a small wound to the right-fore heel the horse had no other abnormalities.

The rider stated his instructions were to sit in behind on the second row and let the horse enjoy his jumping and achieve the best possible placing.

The trainer confirmed that these were the instructions given.

Atkins went on to explain that the gelding was flat out from the start and that he was squeezing the horse along throughout the race and keeping the bit high up in the horse’s mouth.

He further stated that he did not want to ask the horse for any more of an effort to make up ground on the leaders as he felt that he would not finish the race off well and that he felt he had asked for maximum effort having jumped the second last.

Atkins was suspended for 10 days for failing to take all reasonable and permissible measures to ensure his horse was run on its merits in that he did not appear to ask his horse for an effort to diminish the gap between himself and the horses in front of him and having turned into the straight appeared to finish the race off well under tender handling.