Ballydoyle trio found guilty at tactics inquiry
AIDAN O'BRIEN, Johnny Murtagh and Colm O'Donoghue have all been found guilty of breaching the rules of racing in relation to the Juddmonte International Stakes won by Duke Of Marmalade at Newmarket last month.
The Ballydoyle trio appeared at a British Horseracing Authority disciplinary panel hearing in central London on Thursday to answer charges relating to O'Donoghue's manoeuvre aboard Red Rock Canyon in the final four furlongs of the Group 1 event.
The jockey moved the pace-setting Red Rock Canyon away from the rail allowing Murtagh aboard Duke Of Marmalade a clear passage.
O'Donoghue pleaded guilty to a breach of the 'team tactics' rules in that he made a manoeuvre in a race in the interest of another horse in common ownership .
The panel found Murtagh in breach of Rule 220 (iii) in that he acted in a manner prejudicial to the proper conduct of racing, while the panel ruled that O'Brien failed to give adequate instructions concerning the rules of racing .
Murtagh and O'Donoghue were handed seven-day riding bans by the disciplinary panel, while O'Brien was fined £5,000.
Duke Of Marmalade was sent off the 4-6 favourite for the 1m2f contest and had three-quarters of a length to spare over Henry Cecil's Phoenix Tower at the line.
Red Rock Canyon faded to finish seventh of the nine runners as a 66-1 chance.
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