Racing: O'Neill to appeal against third 'non-trier' fine

A winter of disciplinary discontent continued for Jonjo O'Neill at the Jockey Club yesterday when the former champion jockey and now leading trainer was fined £6,000 for breaching the non-triers rule for the third time in less than six weeks.

The punishment from the disciplinary panel at Portman Square came following the performance of O'Neill's Top Of The Left in the Sparkle Cleaning Services Novices' Hurdle at Exeter last month. It was noted that the horse was tenderly ridden up the home straight by Tom Siddall to finish a 32-length seventh behind Vanormix.

Siddall was found in breach of rule 158(i), which deals with schooling in public, and was banned for five days, while Top Of The Left was suspended from running for 30 days. "The decision of the Jockey Club is going to be appealed against," Alan Walls, the defence solicitor, said. "Other than that Mr O'Neill has no comment to make." Actually he did not have any comment at all.

It could have been worse. It was within the Jockey Club's powers to remove O'Neill's licence for this serial offending. His other two similar misdemeanours recently came on the same day, 14 December, with the displays of Gala Performance at Haydock and Madalyar at Fakenham. The latter incident led to the highest race-day fine, £3,400, handed out by local stewards and the claim from Malcolm Wallace, the Jockey Club's director of regulation, that the horse's running was "as bad as we've seen for quite some time". O'Neill responded by saying, "We are not here to cheat the punters".

The Jackdaws Castle trainer at least made some backers happy yesterday when Personal Assurance collected a novice hurdle at Sandown. He might even cheer himself up if Keen Leader is successful in the Reynoldstown Chase on Ascot's attractive card tomorrow.

In the same contest, Guillaume Macaire, the west coast French trainer, saddles the Royal & Sun Alliance Chase favourite Jair Du Cochet. The six-year-old is unbeaten in four starts over fences and has Keen Leader just behind him in the Festival betting. "He is okay," Macaire said. "The most difficult thing with him is to keep him in top form."

Also in the wagon over from France will be Douze Douze, who was pulled up in the King George VI Chase over three miles at Kempton on Boxing Day, but who now drops back to an extended two miles and three furlongs for the Ascot Chase. "Douze Douze worked very impressively at home," Macaire added, "and over this distance I expect a good result with him because three miles is too far for him."

There will be those at the pikestaff though to repel the foreign challenge. Nicky Henderson's dual purpose performer Geos is reported in top form ahead of tomorrow's race. "He's such a lovely horse," James Stafford, spokesman for the eight-year-old's owners, said. "Nicky said he'd like to marry him in the same way that Tony McCoy would like to marry Best Mate."

Geos' display against a field which also includes a former stablemate in Tiutchev, now with Martin Pipe, will provide a signpost to his Festival target. "Where he goes at Cheltenham depends a bit on what happens on Saturday," Stafford added. "But the Champion Hurdle is still a possibility if, at the last minute, we decided that was the route to go. But otherwise we'll stick to chasing. He's taken to it well and he jumps well."

Cheltenham, and the Gold Cup, is still the plan, too, for Marlborough and Florida Pearl, despite the drab performances from both on their most recent outings. The former fell at the last in the Aon Chase at Newbury last Saturday, but was already under pressure before his mishap. "Marlborough is okay after the race," Barry Simpson, racing manager for Sir Robert Ogden, said yesterday. "He still goes to Cheltenham. He could have finished first or last on Saturday and still gone. I can't give an excuse for his run but he certainly didn't run his race. If he'd have come to the last absolutely full of running and fallen, we could have thought what might have been but he was beaten at the time."

Ireland's Florida Pearl has looked past his sell-by date this season and is still in the sick bay at Willie Mullins' yard. Yet if he recovers from a respiratory infection, he may, once again, make an assault on the Blue Riband. "I said the other day that it was 50-50 and I'm leaving it at that," Mullins said yesterday. "He's in good form in his stable – he's eating and doing everything right – so that's a good sign."

* Serotonin, Jonjo O'Neill's runner in the first race at Sandown yesterday, had to be put down after suffering suspected back and pelvic injuries when falling at the final flight. Liam Cooper, who rode Serotonin, was banned for two days for careless riding, as he was judged to have interfered with Silver Stud, the runner-up.