Palmer confirms Coakley will keep Dubawi Legend ride should sprinter take Haydock chance

Trainer adamant jockey ‘very harshly done by’ with 23-day whip ban in Germany.

Ross Coakley will keep the ride on Dubawi Legend should he line up in Saturday’s Betfair Sprint Cup at Haydock, trainer Hugo Palmer has confirmed.

Coakley secured the first Group-race success of his career in the Casino Baden-Baden Goldene Peitsche at Baden-Baden on Sunday – but received a 23-day ban from the German stewards for his efforts.

Palmer was unsure if the young rider would appeal the suspension, handed out for what the local officials deemed was excessively slapping his mount down the neck during the Group Three contest – but said Coakley had been “persecuted” and would be sticking by him.

“My understanding is the Germans are fairly rigid about these things,” said the Cheshire handler.

“I think he has been very harshly done by, but rules are rules.

“He hit the horse behind the saddle four times. While he has been pushing the horse, every time the stick has come into contact with the shoulder, they have counted that as a smack.

“Those are their rules and as Ross said afterwards, he was aware of the rules going into the race, but he was not aware he was doing anything wrong.

“The horse was ridden hands and heels, he had four little smacks and won well, and Ross has been persecuted for it.”

Ross Coakley has been hit with a 23-day suspension
Ross Coakley has been hit with a 23-day suspension (John Walton/PA)

Last season’s Dewhurst runner-up may head to Haydock on Saturday, although Palmer is mindful of the toll the exertions may have taken out of the three-year-old.

“The horse gets back to Newmarket tonight (Monday) and then to Cheshire tomorrow, so we haven’t got an awful lot of time,” he added.

“He ate everything up last night and licked his bowl clean, and he is on his way home.

“It was 17 hours on the road from Newmarket to Baden-Baden and if it is something similar, he will be back about nine o’clock this evening. We will run a very fine tooth-comb over him tomorrow and see.

“He is definitely being left in the race and if he runs, Ross will keep the ride.”

Dubawi Legend (right) in last year's Dewhurst
Dubawi Legend (right) in last year’s Dewhurst (Tim Goode/PA)

Coakley said the suspension was “devastating” at this point of the year, with the added penalty of losing a percentage of his prize-money.

He told the Nick Luck Daily Podcast: “It’s a very bitter pill to swallow on what was a great day overall. I was well aware of the rules going out there. I was very conscious in my mind throughout the race about five being the limit and using it down the shoulder while your hand is on the reins would be counted.

“In my head, I was pushing with my hands, keeping the bit up in his mouth and encouraging him forward, trying to leave it as late as possible to turn the stick over, knowing that the five can be used up quite quickly.

“In my head, as I’m pulling up, I’ve given him four. I was happy and confident with that. It was only after (the post-race presentations) I got a tap on the shoulder and was given the news the stewards deemed I used the ProCush nine times, which is four over their limit.

“Straight away they had taken a large chunk of my prize-money and that aside, a 23-day ban, a little short of a month of loss of income at a busy part of the season when there’s still a lot of racing – it’s devastating.

“I don’t want this taking away from the bigger story that Dubawi Legend won the Group Three and I’m very thankful to connections and Hugo for giving me the opportunity, especially on a global platform. It was a very good performance.”

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