O'Regan gets knuckles rapped at Fakenham

Denis O'Regan managed to suffer a jockey's worst nightmare as he rode a finish a circuit too soon in the Weatherbys Bloodstock Insurance Beginners' Chase at Fakenham.

O'Regan kicked Henrietta Knight's Harringay into a clear lead approaching what he thought was the last obstacle and did not appear to notice the lack of effort from other riders as he passed the post too late to make the fence in front of the stands.

This left a simple task for the Nick Gifford-trained 13-8 favourite Cathedral Rock, who cruised home a distance clear of Shouldhavehadthat in the hands of Timmy Murphy.

O'Regan, stable jockey to Howard Johnson, was quickly hit with a 14-day ban for his troubles.

Afterwards Gifford was sympathetic to O'Regan: 'The horse was second-favourite, but mistakes do happen and Denis probably hasn't ridden here very often,' he said.

'But take nothing away from my fellow, who won very easily.
"He won on heavy last year but as long as he's got cut in the ground, he'll be OK. He's still very green and thinks life's pretty easy at the moment,' he told At The Races.