Vendor back with the cheek-pieces on again

"Ronan (Short) did nothing wrong on the horse the other day in Leopardstown. We didn't have cheek-pieces on him then and he didn't start racing until he turned for home," said winning trainer Jarlath Fahey after Returntovendor (33/1 into 25/1) scored in the Buy Your Tickets Online Handicap Hurdle at Punchestown.

Ian McCarthy was aboard this time and the seven-year-old got the better of Brave Out and Miles To Memphis by a length and three parts and three and a quarter lengths.

"For a horse that has so much experience he just doesn't concentrate great in his races. He races a bit lazy and sometimes his mind switches off and doesn't switch back on," further explained Fahey.

"We put the cheek-pieces back on him today and that really galvanised him again. It's hard to understand him, he actually battles like a lion and isn't a leery horse, but his mind doesn't be on the job the whole time.

"He's after winning four in the calendar year and won on New Year's Day. He's a great tough old battler.

"I don't know where we'll go next. We might go back to Leopardstown for that three-mile hurdle on the festival weekend. Whether he'll run again between now and then I don't know, we'll see how he is."

D.N. Russell, rider of Synopsis (GB) trained by Gordon Elliott, reported to the Clerk of Scales that his mount ran keen throughout.

The Stewards enquired into an incident after the second last, involving Returntovendor, ridden by I.J. McCarthy, Steel Wave ridden by P. Townend and Wade Harper ridden by J.P. O'Sullivan.

Evidence was heard from the riders concerned.

Having viewed the recording of the race and considered the evidence, the Stewards gave I.J. McCarthy the benefit of doubt on this occasion as a result of poor video evidence and took no further action.

The Stewards interviewed I.J. McCarthy, rider of Returntovendor, concerning his use of the whip in the closing stages of this race.

Evidence was heard from the rider concerned.

Having viewed a recording of the race and considered the evidence, the Stewards were of the opinion that the rider was in breach of Regulation 10.3(f), in that he had used his whip with excessive frequency.

Having taken his previous record in this regard into account, the Stewards suspended him for 1 raceday.

The Stewards requested a report from Jarlath P.Fahey, trainer, as to the apparent improvement in form of Returntovendor, placed first, as compared with its recent form.

The trainer reported that his charge had jumped the first few hurdles slowly on his previous run and again missed the third last causing him to fade out of contention.

He felt the application of cheek pieces had helped his charge run more prominently today and this along with a better round of jumping, may have brought about the apparent improvement in form.

Having considered the report, the Stewards noted the explanation offered.

(GC & EM)