Racing: Gentle slap for head-butt jockey

Paul O'Neill, having already been punished with nearly as much opprobrium as Zinedine Zidane, was yesterday let off with a slap on the wrist for his own contribution to sporting infamy. The jockey was given a one-day suspension by the Horseracing Regulatory Authority after appearing to head-butt his mount, who had thrown him into the path of a car, at Stratford last month.

O'Neill expressed suitable contrition for his conduct. Malcolm Wallace, the HRA director of regulation, admitted that the publicity had been "damaging", but noted that the horse had been unscathed by O'Neill's loss of temper.