Irish jockeys suspended at Ascot Johnny Murtagh, Pat Smullen and Billy Lee were all in trouble with the stewards over their use of the whip after the opening Long Distance Cup on Champions Day at Ascot. Murtagh recorded a notable triumph when training and riding Royal Diamond to a narrow success over Harris Tweed in the Group 3 two-mile event but he was hit with a seven days ban for his use of the whip and fined £1,600. Smullen also landed a seven-day suspension on fourth-placed Pale Mimosa, while Lee was given a nine-day ban for using the whip too often on third-placed Eye Of The Storm. Meanwhile Richard Hughes was suspended two days for careless riding when recording an impressive Group 1 win on Olympic Glory in the QEII.
