Brian Hughes Picks Up Three Day Suspension

Champion jockey in waiting Brian Hughes has suffered a minor setback after he was handed a three day suspension for his ride on runaway winner Bingo D'Olivate at Carlisle yesterday.

The clerk of the scales lodged an objection, with the market leader subsequently disqualified and Hughes suspended “as he had failed to draw the correct weight”.

It put a dampener on another decent day for Hughes who has been the stand out jockey so far this season picking up 128 winners from 621 rides at a strike rate of 21%. This form has seen him stretch away from last years Champion jockey Richard Johnson who unfortunately suffered a broken arm in a fall a few weeks ago and is set to miss the rest of the season.

The suspension came after Hughes weighed in at 11st despite weighing out at 11st 5lbs.

“The clerk of the scales objected to the winner, Bingo D’Olivate, ridden by Brian Hughes, and trained by James Ewart on the grounds of the rider weighing in at 11st having weighed out at 11st 5lbs." read a report from the Carlisle stewards.

“Bingo D’Olivate was disqualified and the placings were revised as follows: 1st Dequall, 2nd Ballydonagh Boy, 3rd Emissaire and 4th Notwhatiam. The rider, the trainer, the trainer’s representative, a member of racecourse management, the raceday assistant and the clerk of the scales were interviewed.

“Hughes was suspended for three days as he had failed to draw the correct weight. James Ewart was fined £750 as the cause of the weight loss could not be established.”

The suspension is due to take place over March 2nd, 3rd & 4th but a tweet from the PJA last night confirmed that Hughes has appealed the decision.

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