De Sousa’s title bid hit by four-day ban

PAUL Hanagan’s double contrasted with a major net loss for Silvestre de Sousa on a day when all three champion jockey challengers were in direct competition at Nottingham.

Brazilian-born De Sousa, who had rattled off four winners at Pontefract on Monday to close on second-placed Kieren Fallon, drew a blank from five rides and, far more seriously, incurred a four-day suspension.

Fallon was also winless – and then had four unsuccessful mounts at Kempton’s evening meeting – while De Sousa and Hanagan are back in action at Ayr today.

Yesterday, Hanagan firstly drove out Richard Fahey’s Changing The Guard (12-1) in division one of the Keoghs Irish Bar Nottingham Handicap, and coasted well clear on the William Haggas-trained Figaro (6-5 favourite) in the Nottingham Racecourse Rating Related Maiden Stakes.

Surprisingly, current title-holder Hanagan had been on a 29-ride losing run stretching back to 29 September. “I thought I had a good book of rides today,” he said. “It’s been quite hard work and I’ve been hitting the crossbar recently without really doing anything wrong. But today was a good day.”

De Sousa is now 13 behind Hanagan but must sit out 19-21 October and 24 October after being found to have caused interference when second aboard Teide Peak in the EBF Maiden Stakes.

The jockey felt the verdict was “a bit harsh”, but planned to review the race before considering any kind of appeal. Teide Peak came up half a length short against Fennell Bay, who is a half-brother to smart filly Rising Cross.

After beating just one of his 12 rivals on his debut at Kempton, Mahmood Al Zarooni’s 5-1 shot crept past Teide Peak to secure a half-length victory.

Frankie Dettori was not exactly effusive about Fennell Bay, but said: “He got the job done.”

De Sousa also looked as if he might take the British Stallion Studs Supporting British Racing EBF Maiden Stakes when making a forward move on Idler (3-1), but had not reckoned on John Fahy and Lucky Henry (7-4 favourite), who had them in their sights.

Clive Cox’s colt was third to Mince in a Newbury maiden last month, with the form boosted when the winner bolted up again at Pontefract, and he eventually drew a length and a half clear.

Harry Bentley’s challenge for the apprentice title also suffered a blow when he was given a two-day ban (19-20 October) for careless riding on Elegant Flight. Division two’s winner, Fifteentwo (6-1), had more obvious recent form as he had caught the eye when staying on to finish fourth on his nursery debut at Carlisle.