Atzeni ruled out by BHA blunder

RACING’S bosses last night apologised to leading jockey Andrea Atzeni after an embarrassing gaffe ruled him out of Champions Day.

Atzeni was suspended for two days at Longchamp on October 6 and the ban had originally been due to run today and tomorrow.

The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) said a representative of Mr Atzeni’s last Monday made an application that one day of the suspension – Champions Day – be moved, which riders are allowed to do with suspensions of four days or less in Britain.

A BHA spokesman said “owing to a procedural error”, Mr Atzeni’s representative was “mistakenly informed” that the application could be approved and that he was free to move the suspension and therefore ride on Champions Day.

The spokesman last night added: “France Galop have this afternoon contacted the BHA to alert us to this issue and to query why Mr Atzeni was being permitted to ride on Champions Day.

“As the suspension was imposed by France Galop, the BHA has no power to alter the date of the suspension. Therefore the application could and should not have been approved. This suspension must stand.

“We apologise to Andrea, connections of the horses in question and anyone else affected.”

The jockey had been due to ride Thomas Hobson in the Long Distance Cup, Lightning Spear in the QEII and Sharja Bridge in the Balmoral Handicap.