Jockey Patrick O’Brien’s Aintree triumph on 20-1 shot Laafi was disqualified after BHA’s Whip Review Committee ruling, resulting in a 28-day ban
An 88-year-old trainer who was in tears after saddling a Grand National meeting winner, has been stripped of victory after the horse’s jockey used his whip 11 times during a close finish.
Patrick M O’Brien was aboard 20-1 outsider Laafi in the Debenhams Handicap Hurdle, a contest limited to conditional jockeys and amateur riders, on the Friday of the Randox Grand National Festival.
Laafi, who was shouldering top weight of 12st, stayed handy throughout the 2m contest, hit the front with two hurdles remaining and managed to fend off the late challenge of Melon to prevail by a neck for his 88-year old trainer Bill Durkan. Durkan, whose late son John was the original trainer of the legendary Istabraq until his death from leukaemia in 1988, did not make the journey to Aintree.
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Responding to the triumph 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 thrilled following the victory: “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.”
However, O’Brien’s riding was referred to the BHA’s Whip Review Committee by the stewards who disqualified Laafi and banned his jockey.
The committee’s report stated: “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 was handed a 28-day suspension from May 2 until June 4. The ruling does not affect bets placed on the race, with all bets settled by result on the day.