Jockey Callum Pritchard has been suspended for 12 days following a dramatic misjudgment at Plumpton racecourse, where he eased up his mount a full circuit before the finish line, turning certain victory into a disappointing third place.
Riding the joint-favourite Sweet Nightingale in the Super Nigel Boardman Novices' Handicap Chase on Sunday, Pritchard had established a commanding seven-length lead. However, in a costly error, the 25-year-old jockey appeared to mistake the race distance, slowing his horse prematurely as he approached what he thought was the winning post—with one entire circuit still remaining.
After being interviewed and shown recordings of the incident, the rider was suspended for 12 days.
The blunder allowed the rest of the four-horse field to surge past, dropping Sweet Nightingale to the back. Although Pritchard quickly realized his mistake and attempted to rally, he could only recover to finish third behind winner Milan Milos and runner-up Delgany Deadline.
British Horseracing Authority stewards imposed the ban, stating that Pritchard "had appeared to mistake the race distance" and "prematurely eased" his mount.
The suspension deals a significant blow to Pritchard's season. A contender for the conditional jockey championship with 39 wins this term, he now faces an uphill battle to catch leader Tristan Durrell while sidelined. The championship is decided by wins in National Hunt races between May 2025 and April 2026.
Sweet Nightingale is trained by Polly Gundry, who saw her mare denied what appeared to be a straightforward victory due to the extraordinary miscalculation.