DAVID BRIDGWATER, still needing one more success for his first century of winners, was banned for five days at Exeter yesterday, after being found guilty of excessive use of the whip aboard Habasha.
The Martin Pipe trained mare was never travelling well in the Axminster Weavers Mares Only Handicap Hurdle and Bridgwater performed what appeared a minor miracle to get her into contention before going down by a head to Hello Mary Doll
However, the Stewards were not amused by his riding and found him guilty of using his whip with unreasonable frequency and suspended him for five days - on April 10th, 11th, 13th, 15th and 16th.
Stewards secretary Colin Vickers explained: "The Stewards felt that Bridgwater had breached the rules on two counts as he hit the mare 12 times, some of which were out of stride pattern."
Bridgwater, who was on the runner up Encore En Peu in the Grand National at Aintree on Saturday to Mick Fitzgerald on Rough Quest and then had to wait for the stewards' inquiry, took the ban philosophically as he agreed the rules had been broken but added: "She was favourite for the race, is a little bit ungenuine and if I hadn't ridden her out there's a chance they would have had me in for not trying. So what am I supposed to do?"
Charles Edgerton's frustrating run of placed horses came to a halt when River Lossie proved his first winner for five weeks after taking the Royal Dartmouth Axminster Novices Chase.
Fitzgerald was back in the number one position after guiding Jim Old's Pete The Parson to a length and a quarter verdict over Medina's Swansong, in the All Wood Axminster Handicap Chase.
. Veteran local trainer, 82 year old Ken Oliver, celebrated his belated first success of the season at Kelso yesterday, before seeing his grandaughter Sandy Forster ride a winner in the colours of his daughter Susan for a welcome family double.
An hour earlier, Howcleuch had opened Ken and Rhona Oliver's account for the current campaign when rallying bravely under Brian Storey to regain the lead off Cool Weather close home and capture the Glengoyne Highland Malt Novices Chase qualifier by half a length.
