Racing: Top amateur jockey Derek O'Connor was hit with a 10-day ban for "dangerous" riding by the Turf Club yesterday.

O'Connor (21), who will ride the Wetherbys Champion Bumper hope Blazing Liss at Cheltenham next week, was penalised by the appeals and referrals committee over an incident at Comber point to point in Co Down last month. O'Connor's mount, Forresto, was disqualified on the day after an incident when an opponent crashed through a hay bale marking the course.

Forresto's trainer Ian Ferguson appealed the disqualification yesterday but was unsuccessful and the committee ruled that O'Connor's riding was dangerous. The ban starts on March 20th.

Contrary to reports, the suspension will include race days as well as point to point fixtures.

The Clonmel authorities will be looking for two new fixture dates after yesterday's meeting was called off just an hour before the first race due to high winds and heavy rain. "We're having no luck after the meeting last Sunday week was also cancelled," said the Clonmel manager Jerry Desmond. "It was the wind that got us this time. It was very strong, especially along the top of the track. You could hardly walk against it and it was getting stronger all the time. From the point if view of safety there was no way we could chance it.

"Not too many of the public had turned up by 1.30 but officials were here, jockeys were starting to arrive and so were horses. We will be looking for two new dates and I'm sure we'll find them somewhere," he added.