Rachael Blackmore suspended for five days after investigation into Lady Rita ride

Rachael Blackmore has been suspended from action for five days and will have to forfeit her riding fee after she was found to have mistaken the winning post a circuit too early on Lady Rita at Kilbeggan on May 12th after an Irish Horseracing Board (IHRB) investigation.

Raceday stewards initially did not sanction the 33-year-old jockey and interviewed afterwards by raceday stewards, she had said Lady Rita had a tendency to run inconsistently and was running over a longer trip for the first time.

The IHRB announced their investigation the following day and have found she was in breach of Rule 212A(iv).

The rule states: “Any rider who fails to obtain their best possible placing as a result of negligent misjudgement (including a misjudgement of the winning post or the number of circuits, easing their mount without good reason or stopping riding) shall be guilty of an offence under this sub-rule.”