Adrian Maguire joined an elite band of jockeys to ride 1,000 winners in Britain when Fiori ended a frustrating spell for the popular Meath-born jockey in the Viacom Outdoor Handicap Hurdle at Carlisle yesterday.

Maguire, 30, gave the Pat Haslam-trained gelding a tremendous ride, showing all the enthusiasm and determination he had when gaining his first success in England on his first ride, Omerta, in the Kim Muir chase at the 1991 Cheltenham Festival.

He was given a great reception by racegoers as he returned to the winner's enclosure, but that appreciation was not quite echoed by the stewards who suspended him for one day (December 13th) for using his whip with excessive frequency.

That follows on a six-day ban he picked up at Wetherby on Wednesday after striking colleague J P McNamara with his whip on pulling up after a novices' hurdle.

After being presented with a bottle of champagne by the course executive he said: "I rode a winner on Monday but it has seemed like an eternity since!" His teaming up with the Ferdy Murphy stable has been a big boost to him in recent seasons, and he went on: "It was great to win on my first ride over here for Mr Pipe and at the Festival, it was great to win a Cheltenham Gold Cup on Cool Ground, and of course winning the Hennessy on Sibton Abbey has also been a big highlight."