Pat Cosgrave hit with 28-day ban after easing up and getting caught on 1/6 fav
By Sporting Life
16:16 · FRI April 21, 2023
Pat Cosgrave was hit with a 28-day ban after easing up and getting caught on the line aboard 1/6 favourite Concorde in the mile handicap at Chelmsford on Thursday evening.
Concorde, who had been an easy winner under Ben Curtis on his handicap debut at Redcar on Monday, travelled powerfully and looked set to follow up his recent success with the minimum of fuss when hitting the front on the bridle over a furlong out.
He looked firmly in control under a motionless Cosgrave, but was eased close home and dramatically nabbed in the final stride by 8/1 shot My Roxanne, who challenged up the inside under Ben Robinson and got the verdict by a nose. A total of £12,000 was matched on Concorde at the minimum price of 1.01 in running on Betfair.
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Speaking to Racing TV, Cosgrave said: "I sat last in the race and went through the gears into the straight and passed the other four horses down the straight, and I've just made an error of judgement, made a mistake, and the eventual winner has got up my inside and caught me unaware.
"I've made a big mistake and, first of all, I'd like to apologise to the connections, Mr and Mrs Roy, and also to my trainer, George Boughey. It's a bit embarrassing, really, but I have to just take it on the chin.
"As I say, I'm really embarrassed and really sorry for connections because the horse should have won."
He added: "I have to accept it was completely my fault. It was very unfortunate for connections and all concerned but I'm very, very sorry for what happened."
A BHA stewards report read: "Pat Cosgrave, the rider of Concorde, placed second, beaten by a nose, had failed to ride out approaching the finish. After being interviewed and shown recordings of the incident, Cosgrave was suspended for 28 days for failing to take all reasonable and permissible measures to obtain the best possible placing on a horse that would have finished first."
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