Bennett wins appeal against 12-day ban

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Charlie Bennett, who was blamed for a fall in a race at Kempton on February 6, has won an appeal against a 12-day careless riding ban.

The Professional Jockeys Association condemned a new system which led to the ‘poor decision’ of the Kempton stewards.

A horse was fatally injured in the incident, which also saw fellow jockey Robert Havlin taken to hospital with a broken collarbone and fractured rib, but the PJA found Bennett’s involvement in the fall was accidental.

Bennett was riding Lieutenant Conde in the Move Over To Matchbook Handicap which was won by Robert Cowell’s Sir Ox.

Around three furlongs from home Havlin’s mount, the John Gosden-trained Beehaar, unfortunately clipped heels and took a fatal fall.

In an incident which also involved Laura Coghlan on Um Sharma and Stevie Donohoe on Gabrial The Giant, the stewards found that Bennett “edged left without correction when not sufficiently clear of Havlin”.

‘I’m just pleased this is over and I can put it behind me,’ said the jockey.

The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) recently switched from a system largely of unpaid, amateur stewards to one in which professional officials are predominant.

‘The footage clearly demonstrated that the incident was accidental,’ said Paul Struthers, PJA chief executive.

‘We believed this case was exceptional, that the Stewards’ conclusion that Charlie had ‘edged left without correction when not sufficiently clear’ was palpably wrong.

‘This was a poor decision and it is deeply concerning coming so soon after the introduction of the BHA’s new stewarding system.

‘We can’t help but think it is a decision that would never have been taken under the old system.’

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