Racing: Jockey Club to pursue Fox case

The Jockey Club are to hold an investigation into the controversial fall by the jockey Sean Fox from Ice Saint at Fontwell Park on Monday.

The Jockey Club are to hold an investigation into the controversial fall by the jockey Sean Fox from Ice Saint at Fontwell Park on Monday.

Fox has already been suspended for 21 days after the stewards found him in breach of the rules regarding obtaining the best possible placing for stepping off his horse, but he is to appeal against that decision. However, his action in the race faces further scrutiny.

John Maxse, the Jockey Club's director of public relations, said: "This morning Paul Scotney [the Club's director of security] has had a chance to look at what his team followed up regarding the Fontwell race and also the chance to study more the betting patterns on the race.

"He has concluded the matter warrants further investigation by his department."

Maxse went on: "No date has been set for an appeal. Some things need to be clarified as to whether the investigation would impinge on the appeal process."

Fox had previously been on Ice Saint when the grey ran out at Worcester in July 2002 when sent off the 5-1 joint-second favourite. Explaining what happened that day at Worcester, the under-fire jockey said: "When I rode the horse at Stratford [and won], the first time I rode the horse, I went down the inside on him and there's a rail all the way round and I stuck to the rail.

"Then when I went to Worcester I rode him exactly the same and the horse just cocked its jaw and ran out. I went another four hurdles and I couldn't pull him up.

"There was no inquiry. I made a mistake by going down the inside. I was told after the race by Paul Flynn, who is a jump jockey for Philip Hobbs [Ice Saint's former trainer], that the horse used to run out at home."

* Pat Eddery, the former champion jockey who retired in December, is to join the training ranks in 2005. He is to train from his own premises in Buckinghamshire. Eddery, 51, intends to start with 20 horses on his 107-acre Musk Hill Stud, near Aylesbury, where plans are well advanced to install an all-weather gallop.