‘Shocker’ as top jump jockey and trainer combo banned and fined for ‘schooling’ around race despite 250-1 odds
JOCKEY Adam Wedge and trainer Evan Williams have been banned and fined respectively for schooling and conditioning a horse on the racecourse.
After a stewards inquiry, Wedge was slapped with a 14-day ban and his boss, the Wales-based Williams was given a £3,000 fine.
Adam Wedge will have fourteen days off the track[/caption]
The horse, Klic Boum, finished seventh in a 2 mile maiden hurdle at Warwick for which he was 250-1 for.
The four-year-old, who cost £11,000 at Goffs last year, has been beaten a combined total of 104 lengths in his three previous hurdle starts.
At Warwick on Thursday the horse made a promising start to the race but by the fourth hurdle was already flagging.
In the home straight Wedge, who has multiple Cheltenham Festival wins under his belt including a Stayers Hurdle for Williams on Lisnagar Oscar, was deemed to handle his mount too tenderly.
A report read: “An inquiry was held into the running and riding of Klic Boum, ridden by Adam Wedge and trained by Evan Williams, which was held up towards the rear of the field, before being asked for an effort from after the fourth-last hurdle and then ridden under apparent tender handling in the home straight to finish seventh, beaten 36 lengths.”
The jockey went on to say: “his instructions had been to drop Klic Boum in towards the rear of the field with the intention of getting the gelding to finish its race strongly.”
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When questioned on his inactivity in the final straight, Wedge told the stewards it was down to the gelding hanging.
Williams was not at the races, but his representative claimed he was unaware of any instructions the trainer had given Wedge over the phone that morning.
The report went on: “He [Wedge] reported that the focus was on getting the horse to finish its race strongly but having gone through the gelding’s previous runs with the rider, there appeared to be little difference in the tactics and/or riding of Klic Boum, who despite already running the required three times over hurdles as stated in paragraph 13 of the ‘Weights and Handicapping Code’, had not been allocated a handicap mark.”
Klic Boum was suspended from running in any race for 40 days and Williams was fined £290 for failing to inform his representative of the rider’s instructions.
Punters took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to react.
One said: “What a shocker. Two absolute gangsters.”
Another added: “Bit harsh.”
While one said: “Should be banned for life.”
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