Robert Havlin has five-day suspension rescinded by BHA

Rider had been planning to appeal ban had been handed out following Lancashire Oaks.

Robert Havlin’s five-day suspension handed out by the Haydock stewards following his ride on Free Wind in Saturday’s Lancashire Oaks has been rescinded, the British Horseracing Authority has announced.

Havlin had stated his intention to appeal the ban, but before it even got that far the BHA reviewed the incident.

It had involved Havlin going up the inside of Jim Crowley on Eshaada around two furlongs from home but while there looked to be sufficient room at one stage, the door was quickly closed.

The on-course stewards said Havlin had “persisted and committed for his run into an insufficient gap which was only briefly viable between the running rail and Eshaada”, which caused “considerable interference” to the third and unplaced Kawida and “resulted in Free Wind turning Eshaada’s hind quarters, which in turn caused both fillies to become severely unbalanced”.

However, a BHA statement released on Tuesday said: “The British Horseracing Authority has today confirmed that the five-day suspension incurred by Robert Havlin following Saturday’s bet365 Lancashire Oaks at Haydock has been rescinded.

“Following a comprehensive review of the incident, it was determined that Mr Havlin did have a sufficient gap and had established his horse in that gap prior to the incident, and therefore did not commit a riding offence. No further charges will be made against any other rider arising from this incident.”

In other news, the appeal lodged by owners Amo Racing against the result of the Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot that was due to be heard on Thursday has been postponed.

Controversy reigned after the conclusion of the five-furlong Group Two, which saw Richard Fahey’s The Ridler pass the post in front of the Amo-owned pair of Walbank in second and Crispy Cat in third.

Winning jockey Paul Hanagan received a 10-day ban for careless riding after The Ridler hung violently across the track, badly impeding Crispy Cat as well as the fourth-placed Brave Nation.

Crucially, though, the winner had a length and three-quarters in hand at the line over Walbank, with Crispy Cat a neck further behind in third.

And while the on-course stewards felt that Crispy Cat could have finished second, they deemed the interference had not improved the position of the winner and the placings remained unaltered.

The BHA said details of a rescheduled hearing “will be communicated in due course”.

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