A Grand National Festival winner has been disqualified after the jockey struck his horse 11 times during a closely contested finish. Patrick M O’Brien was aboard 20-1 shot Laafi in the Debenhams Handicap Hurdle, a contest restricted to conditional jockeys and amateur riders, on the Friday of the Grand National Festival.
Laafi, carrying top weight of 12st, travelled prominently throughout the 2m contest, was sent to the front with two hurdles remaining and held on bravely to fend off the late challenge of Melon, winning by a neck for his 88-year-old trainer Bill Durkan. Durkan, whose late son John was the original trainer of the legendary Istabraq, who died of leukaemia in 1988, was not present at Aintree.
Reacting to the victory on the day, stable representative Gary Bannon said: “It’s brilliant for Bill who is 88 years of age and still loving the game. He was the first on the phone and he’s in tears.”
O’Brien was overjoyed following the win: “Wow is right – that’s the only way to describe it!
“I hit the front turning in and it was a long way down to the third-last, never mind all the way to the line, and he was just eyeballing the horse beside him the whole way up the straight, stuck his neck out so bravely – he was a great winner. To shoulder 12 stone was really impressive.”
He added: “It’s been the season of dreams, to be honest. I won the Munster National earlier in the season, then the Martin Pipe at the Cheltenham Festival, and then here. I can’t believe it.
“I’m just taking it day by day. I’m really lucky to be getting the chances, and even to be riding here at this meeting – it’s my first time here, and it’s just super, and even to be riding, never mind being on horses with chances, is very special.”
But the stewards referred O’Brien’s riding to the BHA’s Whip Review Committee, who disqualified Laafi and suspended his jockey.
The panel’s report read: “Patrick O’Brien, the rider of the winner, LAAFI (FR), was found to have used his whip four times above the permitted level of seven from jumping the second last hurdle.
“Taking into account that none of the uses were clearly and unequivocally for safety purposes, LAAFI (FR) was disqualified under Rule (L)47.11. As this was a Class 2 race restricted to conditional and amateur riders only, the penalty in respect of being above permitted level was doubled.”
O’Brien received a 28-day suspension from May 2 until June 4.