Racing/Ballinrobe previews: The champion amateur jockey Derek O'Connor has had his appeal against the controversial disqualification of Teo Peruge at Cork 20 days ago turned down.

O'Connor and Teo Peruge "won" the Mallow Handicap Chase but were subsequently disqualified, along with five other horses, for going the wrong side of the first fence down the back straight, which was bypassed.

O'Connor argued that while he and the other jockeys were instructed to go one side of the fence by the clerk of the course, an attendant on the track directed them the other way.

However, his appeal to the disqualification imposed on the day failed at yesterday morning's Turf Club Appeals and Referrals Committee hearing, which lasted almost two hours.

"Evidence was heard from the clerk of the course, Joe Banahan, and Con Sheehan, who is the foreman at the course. Evidence was also heard from Derek O'Connor; MJ O'Connor, the rider of Bregogue; and RM Moran, the rider of Annshoon," said the Turf Club's spokesman, Seán Barry.

"The jockeys before the race were instructed individually to go on the right side of the fence and there was no option but to disqualify the horses who didn't go that way," he added.

Ballinrobe kicks off a two-day fixture this afternoon but the timing now appears to be less than ideal with the Mayo-Fermanagh All-Ireland football semi-final replay to be played today.

One development at the track, however, is the likely reintroduction of the new Italian-style starting stalls, which have had a chequered history in their short Irish career but passed a testing session yesterday.

The new stalls have been out of commission since a series of problems at the height of the summer but the Turf Club reported yesterday they are likely to be used at Ballinrobe today.

That will be of little relevance in the Beginners' Chase but that race does look the best of the day, with the high-class handicap hurdler Balapour taking on the likes of Poc Fada, Hannon and the 102-rated The Dark Flasher.

Orpailleur was an easy course and distance winner earlier in the season and comes to today's nine-furlong handicap on the back of a good third to Arch Rebel at the Curragh.

No Where To Hyde rode well in a Sligo bumper on heavy ground and should be looked at in tomorrow's opening maiden hurdle while Laurel View looks the one in the following maiden.