LONDON -- Jockey Paul O'Neill was given a one-day ban Thursday by the sport's governing body for head-butting his horse before a race.
The Horseracing Regulatory Authority reviewed TV footage of the incident at a race in Stratford on July 23 before reaching its verdict.
TV replays showed the horse, City Affair, being unruly in the parade ring, ultimately throwing O'Neill. The 26-year-old Irish jockey got to his feet and grabbed the reins, before lowering the butt of his helmet into the horse's nose.
City Affair went on to finish fourth in the 2-mile event.
"If the horse had been injured then that is very different as it is abuse and we would throw the book at a jockey," said Malcolm Wallace, head of regulation at the HRA. "It is very important to remember this horse was not injured ... so the penalty of one day is consistent with a jockey who was also given one day for throwing his whip at a horse."
O'Neill, who could have been banned for up to 21 days, will serve his suspension on Aug. 11.
"I am pleased the hearing is now over. I accept the judgment of the panel and I want to take this final opportunity to say how sorry I am," O'Neill said after the hearing. "I now want to put this incident behind me and get on with my career."
British newspapers likened the incident to Zinedine Zidane's head-butt of Marco Materazzi in the World Cup final, with many headlines reading, "Jockey does a 'Zidane' to his horse."
"This has to be taken in context and you have to forget the hype and the tabloid headlines," Wallace said. "This should have been dealt with by the stewards on the day and had it been seen by them it would have been."
The panel's ruling falls in line with similar cases, such as a one-day suspension to jockey Timmy Murphy in December 2004 for throwing his whip at his mount.
The Horseracing Regulatory Authority reviewed TV footage of the incident at a race in Stratford on July 23 before reaching its verdict.
TV replays showed the horse, City Affair, being unruly in the parade ring, ultimately throwing O'Neill. The 26-year-old Irish jockey got to his feet and grabbed the reins, before lowering the butt of his helmet into the horse's nose.
City Affair went on to finish fourth in the 2-mile event.
"If the horse had been injured then that is very different as it is abuse and we would throw the book at a jockey," said Malcolm Wallace, head of regulation at the HRA. "It is very important to remember this horse was not injured ... so the penalty of one day is consistent with a jockey who was also given one day for throwing his whip at a horse."
O'Neill, who could have been banned for up to 21 days, will serve his suspension on Aug. 11.
"I am pleased the hearing is now over. I accept the judgment of the panel and I want to take this final opportunity to say how sorry I am," O'Neill said after the hearing. "I now want to put this incident behind me and get on with my career."
British newspapers likened the incident to Zinedine Zidane's head-butt of Marco Materazzi in the World Cup final, with many headlines reading, "Jockey does a 'Zidane' to his horse."
"This has to be taken in context and you have to forget the hype and the tabloid headlines," Wallace said. "This should have been dealt with by the stewards on the day and had it been seen by them it would have been."
The panel's ruling falls in line with similar cases, such as a one-day suspension to jockey Timmy Murphy in December 2004 for throwing his whip at his mount.
