Neville Callaghan's sharp tongue landed him in trouble and with a £300 fine at Huntingdon yesterday. The Newmarket trainer received his fine after a verbal attack on the starter, Sean McDonald. The stewards found that he had been guilty of "violent and improper conduct".

Callaghan rounded on McDonald after the Long Stanton Handicap Hurdle, in which his intended runner, the top weight and 6 to 4 favourite Desert Mountain, was withdrawn at the start on veterinary advice. It is believed that Desert Mountain had been kicked by another runner.

Stewards secretary Geoffrey Forster said: "The vet advised the starter that in his opinion the horse should not run. The starter is obliged to take the vet's advice and he ordered the horse to be withdrawn.

"On returning to the enclosures, the starter received verbal abuse from Callaghan which is a breach of Rule 220 (ii), which is the violent and improper conduct rule."

Callaghan left the racecourse and was not available for comment.

Meanwhile, David Bridgwater will be out of action at least until the middle of next week, according to his agent Robert Parsons.

The jump jockey, who aggravated an old elbow injury at Ascot on Wednesday, had hoped to be able to resume today morrow after missing his rides at Huntingdon today.