Paddy Flood on Laafi disqualification - 'He knows he's made a mistake'

Grand National Festival winner Laafi was disqualified after jockey Patrick O’Brien was found to have breached whip regulations.

The British Horseracing Authority’s whip review committee found that O’Brien had used his whip four times above the permitted level of seven from jumping the second-last hurdle and taking into account none of the uses were for safety purposes, Laafi was disqualified and his rider was given a 28-day suspension.

Paddy Flood, a former jockey turned coach, believes the results have been amended on the day, a view he offered on the latest episode of the Irish Angle.

“I'm sure there's an appeals body and stewards on the day will have to go directly to the counting of the strikes and making sure the strikes land, and camera angles.

“But there's probably half an hour, 40 minutes between races, you'd think they could probably get it spot on, do it there and then for bookies and punters as well, and then let the appeals body go into it after.”

Patrick O’Brien to work with Flood

Paddy added: “I spoke with Patrick on Thursday morning. He was saying to me he has a little habit of just getting one or two little backhanders into the horses before they're actually running flat out.

“He's put his hands up, knows he's made a mistake. He's coming to me to do a bit of similar work actually this week, so we'll probably hit it hard.

“But it's a hard one to take, isn't it? I suppose there's a number there, and if you're four over, you lose a race."

Honesty and a bright future ahead

“There haven't been too many of them. I suppose for the Durkans, it's been a long time since the Durkans were in a winners' enclosure at a big, big meeting, and for all the buzz they would have got out of it, I'm sure there's a sour taste there.

“To lose a race like that, I'm sure they don't need the money, but it would help things, and they want to be in the headlines for their winner and bring him home, parade him for the crowd. But very disappointing for trainer and rider.”

“He's a young man riding a lot of winners. He had a Cheltenham winner this year and he lost an Aintree Festival winner, but he's very honest and open about it that it was his mistake.”