Freddie Gordon apologises for dropping hands in Fontwell finish

Riding 3/1 shot Jorebel for his father, Chris, in Monday's opening Bet Clever BetGoodwin Conditional Jockeys' Novices' Limited Handicap Hurdle, the jockey came clear after bypassing the second-last flight and looked over his shoulder to the inside where he could see a loose horse.

Gordon took another glance on touching down after the final hurdle but failed to spot the fast-finishing Hill Station on his outside and stopped riding out as the loose horse came alongside.

Main market rival Hill Station (100/30) briefly went ahead of Jorebel, who rallied once his jockey became more animated again, and the pair of them had to be separated by the judge after flashing past the line together.

Fortunately for Gordon, his mount got the verdict by a nose and he said on Sky Sports Racing after the event: "I'm so sorry about that but I looked behind me and all I could see was a loose horse. And the one behind me was covered up by a loose horse, so I didn't see him.

"I looked on the screen and realised there was another one next to me and then coming to the line it was sickening. There was a bit delay and I didn't know if I'd won it or not and it's just a very, very lucky day for me.

"I'm very sorry for giving everyone a bit of a heart-attack there as there was probably a few quid on me. But that was was a day I'll never forget and I'll never make that mistake again - hopefully."

Gordon went on to explain why he felt the need to ease off his mount on the run-in, rather than pushing him out all the way to the line.

"In my case there, I looked behind me and could only see the loose one," the rider said. "The ones behind the one behind me - the horse that came second - were very far behind and for a horse's sake it's much nicer to have a nice time and a slap down the shoulder rather than being given a push. For the horse's sake I was just trying to be nice to him and give him a nice time because I thought I was just so far ahead.

"I wasn't, which I didn't realise.

"It's not the best idea to do it but for the horse's sake I just like giving them a nice time when I think they've won it."

'I have higher standards than that'

The potentially embarrassing Fontwell incident came just days after a similar scenario played out in a Wolverhampton maiden on the Flat on Saturday afternoon.

Paddy Bradley was the red-faced rider at the weekend, having dropped his hands near the finish on 4/7 favourite Deluded in division two of the seven-furlong maiden.

Bradley apologised to trainer Charlie Fellowes and owner Laurence Bellman in a post-race interview with Matt Chapman on Sky Sports Racing.

He said: "I just want to apologise to Mr Bellman and Mr Fellowes. It was a misjudgement, I was over-confident. He idled there at the end and I nearly got made to look very, very stupid.

"Look, he won well and won easily but it was a misjudgement from me. That won't happen again. Just coming up the line he was idling, the horse was coming and it got close. Because I was sat still. He was miles the best, just slightly unprofessional from me, that's not good enough. Charlie's been very good to and we've got a good strike-rate.

"I don't normally do things like that, I thought I was winning easier and it's a mistake. Fortunately it didn't cost me and I can learn from it.

"But that's not good enough and I have higher standards than that."

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