JOHNNY MURTAGH will miss the final two days of next week’s Royal Ascot festival after his appeal to the British Horseracing Authority disciplinary committee failed yesterday evening.
Murtagh appealed the severity of his five-day suspension for an incident in last Friday’s Coronation Cup at Epsom when his mount Frozen Fire interfered with the run of Buccellati.
A reduction could have allowed him ride on Group One racing days but the BHA panel turned the appeal down and also forfeited the Irishman’s €584 deposit. Murtagh will miss the likely ride on Again in tomorrow week’s Coronation Stakes as well as another David Wachman-trained horse, Bushranger, in the following day’s Golden Jubilee Stakes.
His absence will also impact on a number of Aidan O’Brien-trained horses and throws open a number of coveted spare rides.
Wayne Lordan is a regular rider for the Wachman stable and has ridden Again and Bushranger in the past. Seamus Heffernan was on board Again when she landed last season’s Group One Moyglare Stud Stakes at the Curragh.
