IT IS A HEFTY PENALTY FOR SEAMUS NOW

IT proved a day of contrasting fortunes for rookie trainer Donnacha O’brien and veteran rider Seamus Heffernan in Chantilly yesterday.

O’brien (inset) became a classic-winning trainer, at the tender age of 21, when Fancy Blue (Pierre Charles Bourdot) bagged the Prix de Diane.

The Irish 1,000 Guineas runner-up scraped a narrow win over compatriots Alpine Star and Peaceful to give O’brien classic success with his first runner in France.

But it was a bleak day for Heffernan, third on Peaceful, who received a massive 22 day whip ban following his ride on Order Of Australia in the French Derby, the Prix du Jockey-club.

Heffernan (above), enjoying a purple patch since the resumption of racing, highlighted by his Group 1 double at the Curragh last weekend, now faces a 14-day period of quarantine, while this ban kicks in on July 18 and runs until August 9.

On home soil, jockey Chris Hayes stole the headlines with a superb 965/1 four-timer in Cork, following-up a double in Naas on Saturday.

The highlight of the Limerick man’s Mallow haul was the victory of Minaun, a first Group 3 winner, on the level, for trainer Henry de Bromhead in the Marble Hill 2-Y-0 Stakes.

Hayes also provided in-form Fozzy Stack with a double, on Too Soon To Panic and Starlite Dancer, while sparking his fourtimer on board Ken Condon’s Miss Amulet.

Wayne Lordan – set to benefit from Heffernan’s absence over the coming weeks – partnered 11/4 favourite Snow, trained by Aidan O’brien, to a gutsy victory over Snapraeceps in the Group 3 Munster Oaks.

The Paddy Twomey-trained Sonaiyla (Billy Lee) annexed the listed Sweet Mimosa

Stakes, at the expense of 80/1 Back To Brussels while apprentice Adam Farragher, originally due to ride in Fairyhouse, landed the Cork Derby on first reserve Rayounpour, second leg of an across-the-card double for his boss Michael Halford.

The Joseph O’brien-trained Speak In Colours, winner of the Group 2 Greenlands at the Curragh last week, followed-up when capturing the feature at Fairyhouse, the Rybo Ballycorus Stakes (Group 3) under a confident ride by Shane Crosse.

The grey, sent off 11/8 favourite, quickened well to beat Surrounding in convincing style.