Wayne Lordan unsuccessful in appeal

Wayne Lordan was unsuccessful in his appeal against a 10-day suspension for using his whip in the incorrect place aboard Precise at Goodwood last month.

The rider was banned from September 9 to September 18 inclusive and fined £1,250 after being found in breach of the rules by the whip review committee following his winning effort on the Aidan O’Brien-trained filly in the Group Three Prestige Stakes.

While Lordan admitted he had used his whip in the wrong place once aboard Precise, he contested the committee’s conclusion that he had done so three times in total.

Lordan argued that his riding action had changed from his fifth strike of the whip to his sixth, which he agreed was in the wrong place, and he also said Precise’s tack had slipped slightly.

Lordan was represented by Graeme McPherson, who read out extracts from a letter O’Brien wrote in support, stating the filly was “on the small side”, “is short-coupled” and “her style of movement means she gets her hind legs in underneath her ribs” so “she looks even more short-coupled” – statements Lordan concurred with.

While those assertions were taken into account by the panel, along with a “minimal tack shift”, chair James O’Mahony said they judged the original decision of the whip review committee to have been the correct one. The rider’s deposit will be returned.

Lordan will now miss both the St Leger meeting at Doncaster and the Irish Champions Festival at Leopardstown and the Curragh next weekend.

He is O’Brien’s second-choice rider and his availability has become key over the last week, with stable number one Ryan Moore sidelined for an indefinite period by a leg injury.

O’Brien confirmed earlier in the week that Christophe Soumillon is set to take a role in covering Moore’s absence, but Lordan’s possible mounts could have included St Leger favourite Scandinavia and the Irish Champion Stakes market leader Delacroix.

Both riders will be in action for the Ballydoyle handler at ParisLongchamp on Sunday, with Soumillon teaming up with Whirl in the Prix Vermeille and Henri Matisse in the Prix du Moulin, while Lordan will ride Bedtime Story and The Lion In Winter in those Group One races respectively.