Racing: Spencer's suspension may be extended by appeal

Jamie Spencer's woes continued yesterday when he lost an appeal against the ban that prevents him from riding Necklace in Sunday's 1,000 Guineas and it also emerged that he may have the four-day careless-riding ban he picked up at Navan on Saturday increased.

Jamie Spencer's woes continued yesterday when he lost an appeal against the ban that prevents him from riding Necklace in Sunday's 1,000 Guineas and it also emerged that he may have the four-day careless-riding ban he picked up at Navan on Saturday increased.

An appeal has been lodged against the leniency of the Navan stewards' decision and if the suspension is extended by two days Spencer will miss the ride on Yeats, the Derby favourite, in the colt's final prep for Epsom at Leopardstown on 9 May.

Denis Egan, chief executive of the Irish Turf Club, explained: "Lady O'Reilly, who owns Sahara Sonnet, the horse which fell in the race at Navan, apparently as a result of Jamie Spencer's manoeuvre, has lodged an objection to the decision of the stewards to convict him only of careless riding. She felt that his actions were dangerous.

"We are hoping to hear Lady O'Reilly's appeal on Thursday and that will decide whether the suspension will be increased."

Yesterday, the Turf Club met to consider Spencer's appeal against the decision of the Leopardstown stewards on 18 April to suspend him for one day for using his whip with excessive frequency on Royal Tigress, the short-head winner of the 1,000 Guineas Trial. Having considered evidence from Spencer and Aidan O'Brien, the committee disallowed the appeal and confirmed the suspension date as 1,000 Guineas day.