Mark Prescott was fined £1,000 and jockey Colin Nutter suspended for seven days under the "non-triers"' rule over the running and riding of Swagger in the European Breeders Fund Maiden Stakes at Newcastle yesterday.

Swagger, who was beaten over 15 lengths into seventh place behind his stable companion Triple Dash, who ran out a two-length winner, will be banned from running for 30 days, October 24th to November 22nd inclusive.

Nutter was also fined £100 under Instruction H20 for not reporting immediately after the race that he had thought Swagger had gurgled.

The stewards initiated the inquiry as they felt that Swagger had "appeared never to have been asked for a serious effort".

But Nutter told them that his instructions were to hold the colt together in the early stages and to push him out to the line.

But he added he was unable to do that as he had met interference two furlongs out and then heard the colt gurgle.

Prescott's representative Alyson West reported that Swagger was very lazy at home and was as fit as the trainer could get him. She also confirmed the riding instructions and said she was satisfied with Nutter's riding.

But, having spoken to the veterinary surgeon, the stewards decided that the trainer and jockey were in breach of Rule 151 in that they had been schooling and conditioning Swagger in public, and that therefore he had not run on his merits.

Stewards' secretary Phil Tuck explained: "A jockey is obliged to tell either the vet, the clerk of the course or a stewards' secretary if a horse has gurgled, and that is something Nutter should have done before the inquiry was started.

"However, there was no visual evidence to suggest that the horse was running short of oxygen and the interference said to have happened was very minimal, if anything. The stewards felt it was a clear-cut case."

Prescott, speaking from his Newmarket stable, said: "Swagger is a mile behind Triple Dash at home and on the racecourse too by the look of it.

"I saw the race, but was watching the winner and did not see what happened with Swagger, so I can't comment on that. But I can tell you if C Nutter tells me that the moon is made of blue cheese then I would believe him!"

Triple Dash was ridden by George Duffield, who predicted better things to come. "The horse missed two bits of work because of sore shins so he has done it well and will make a nice horse next year."

Apprentice Robert Winston completed a 203 to 1 double on Blushing Grenadier, his first winner for Roy Bowring, who made all in the 49's Handicap, and the Brian Ellison-trained Monis in the first division of the Pricewaterhouse Coopers Claiming Handicap.

Gyles Parkin was suspended for four days for careless riding on un-placed Bee Health Boy, who was found to have interfered with Grey Kingdom three furlongs out in the 49's Handicap.

Apprentice Tony Polli was suspended for three days for careless riding on the Pat Gilligan-trained Protaras Bay who beat Top Floor by one-and-a-quarter lengths in the second division of the Claiming Stakes.

But because the stewards decided that the interference had not improved Protaras Bay's placing, he was allowed to keep the race.

Meanwhile, Willie Ryan bounced back from two months on the sidelines to win on Double March in the Oxton Handicap at Nottingham. It was the jockey's first victory since a crashing fall from Street General in the Ebor at York in August which put him in hospital with rib, back and foot injuries.

The rider, who only returned to action 10 days ago, brought the Ken Ivory-trained winner with a strong late run to lead inside the final furlong and beat Quiz Show by a neck.

Brilliance captured the Halloughton Handicap to give trainer Roger Charlton his 22nd winner of the season.

The filly was blinkered for the first time and revelled in the mud to lead early in the home straight and hold Margaret's Dancer by a length.

Apprentice John McAuley, who rode the runner-up, was in trouble with the stewards though.

He was found guilty of careless riding after causing interference to the eventual winner and to the favourite Lamanka Lass around a furlong from the start. The jockey was banned for two days.