Racing: Eddery is blamed as Smart faces fine

Bryan Smart is to appeal against the £2,300 fine meted out to him yesterday under the "non-triers" rule over the running of Ben Casey at Southwell. The three-year-old's jockey, Paul Eddery, was suspended for 16 days and the horse banned from running for 40 days after he had finished a three-quarter length second to Mulberry Lad in a claiming race.

Smart said: "I have never stopped a horse in all my training career. This horse was off, he was there to win.

"Paul Eddery has rode a misjudged race, that's what he's done. That horse was not stopped. To fine me that amount of money is a ridiculous thing, all because of a misjudged race. I am so angry I can hardly speak.

"I told Paul to drop him in a little bit but he has dropped him in too far. I was saying 'go on, go on', I was shouting my head off. For the stewards to take it out on me is ridiculous."

The stipendiary steward Ashley Bealby said: "Coming round the final bend, Paul had a double handful and didn't let it down until it was too late to win. Had more effort been made a furlong out, the stewards felt the horse would have won."