Dettori defended over whipping

Godolphin's Simon Crisford yesterday defended Frankie Dettori, who received an eight- day ban for his use of the whip on Mark Of Esteem in winning Saturday's 2,000 Guineas.

"The sentence was very harsh," Crisford said. "There were no weal marks on Mark Of Esteem and he ate up afterwards. He came out of the race looking a million dollars and ran for the whip. If he hadn't hit him he wouldn't have won."

Dettori will miss York's Dante meeting and John Gosden, his main employer, said: "The whip instructions were drawn up with the best intentions but are flawed. When it comes to a big race a jockey has to go for it. Frankie is an artist. He flicks his whip, he doesn't beat horses."