Racing: Ffrench takes leave angrily

Royston Ffrench reacted angrily yesterday after the Brighton stewards banned him for six days for irresponsible riding. "I think that is appalling," the apprentice jockey said he emerged from the stewards' room with a suspension from 12-14 June and 16-18 June.

The punishment was imposed for Ffrench's riding of Marchman in the Hove Claiming Stakes. Marchman, a 10-1 shot, was first past the post by an eased-down length and a half from Simon Whitworth's mount, Roman Reel.

But the latter had been given a hefty bump over two furlongs from home and the placings of the first two were reversed.

Earlier, Ffrench had scored on the 10-year-old Sooty Tern. Milton Bradley, his trainer, said: ''He's now won over pounds 83,000 and he cost me only 3,000 guineas.''

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