The Jockey Club has threatened to increase the penalties given to jockeys who lose races by dropping their hands. Jimmy Quinn yesterday became the latest rider to land a 14-day suspension from the stewards - and abuse from the public - when he forfeited Lingfield's Talisman Handicap (Div One) on the Hugh Collingridge-trained Badrinath, easing his mount down and caught close home by short-head winner Bon Guest.

To his credit, Quinn admitted his error and apologised to Collingridge and the public, but his words will do little to soothe the ire of those who contributed towards the £4,330 staked on the runner-up in recorded bets alone.

Norman Williamson suffered a similar fate, both from stewards and racegoers, when the Kim Bailey-trained Herbert Lodge was beaten at odds of 4 to 11 by Kapco at Leicester in November.

Now the Jockey Club will consider an increase to the maximum suspension of 14 days that racecourse stewards can impose for such offences.

The Club's Public Relations Officer John Maxse said yesterday: "The maximum penalty the racecourse stewards can issue is 14 days' suspension and the number of days for dropping hands and losing a race was increased to 10 to 14 days in March of last year.

"Obviously the Jockey Club hopes that an increase in the penalty would act as an effective deterrent to jockeys making such serious errors denying owners and punters valuable winnings.

"Indeed, the ban that Jimmy Quinn has incurred could cost him more than £3,000 in lost earnings, which is a substantial amount.

"However, if the message does not get through to jockeys and they continue to make these mistakes the Disciplinary Committee will have no option but to re-examine the recommended penalties for the offence - punters and owners should be protected from these occurrences."

The highest-profile case of recent years involved Willie Carson, who was suspended for seven days by the Lingfield stewards for losing a race on the Alec Stewart-trained Kamari in June 1996.