Stalls incident sees Windsor race voided A dramatic scene unfolded at Windsor after confusion at the start of the Apprentice Handicap led to the race being declared void and bans handed out to several riders. False start causes chaos at Windsor Windsor officials declared the Free Digital Racecard At raceday-ready.com Apprentice Handicap void after a false start, with five of the seven riders involved each banned for 10 days. Beaumadier, ridden by Conor Whiteley, appeared to anticipate the stalls opening, while at the same time Master Zack reared up under Ryan Kavanagh, with the gates triggered in the melee. Kavanagh stepped on to the side of the stalls and Master Zack ran away with the blindfold on, breaking through a couple of the plastic rails but was caught and reported to be none the worse for the experience. That left six running over the five furlongs, including Beaumadier who was very slowly away after his stalls incident and detached from the group, with Tommie Jakes passing the post first on Michael Attwater’s Cabeza De Llave. Stewards defend decision as riders receive bans Jakes told Sky Sports Racing: “I wouldn’t have seen the starter waving a flag as I was drawn wide. I don’t know why it was a false start anyway.” Jack Doughty, Jack Dace, Taryn Langley and Alec Voikhansky all completed the course on their respective mounts and along with Jakes received a 10-day for failing to pull up. Richard Westropp, chief stipendiary steward said: “On the basis of the starter calling a false start, the recall man was stood right in the middle of the track, he waved his flag and blew his whistle, so procedures were followed to a tee.” He added that the jockeys told the inquiry they did not see the flag or hear the whistle, bar Conor Whiteley who did make every effort to pull up his horse. All the jockeys bar Whiteley and Kavanagh have been banned for 10 days, with appeals possible. Dace’s ban will run from September 3-13 inclusive, while the other four riders will be sidelined September 1-10.
