Dettori banned

Frankie Dettori received two suspensions totalling 12 days at the Curragh yesterday

Frankie Dettori received two suspensions totalling 12 days at the Curragh yesterday. The former champion jockey got a five-day suspension for "improper riding" on Altibr in International Stakes but the other seven days resulted from an inquiry into his body-protector.

The Turf Club medical officer decided the protector was defective because a strap had been cut off. Dettori reported that he had cut the crotch strap away from his body protector two years ago having suffered "severe problems with piles" during a spell riding in South Africa.

"I've been here several times since and there hasn't been a problem," said Dettori who will now miss some of the Newmarket July meeting. The Italian accepted that he received a warning yesterday but added that he did not have a replacement.

Brian O'Connor

Brian O'Connor

Brian O'Connor is the racing correspondent of The Irish Times. He also writes the Tipping Point column