Fanning 'okay' but set for a short break following Wolverhampton incident

Joe Fanning is poised for a brief period on the sidelines following a fall at Wolverhampton on Monday night, resulting in three-time champion jockey Oisin Murphy receiving a nine-day suspension.

Fanning and his horse Sennockian narrowly crossed the finish line ahead of Dr Foster, ridden by Murphy, in an extended one-mile handicap at Dunstall Park. However, Fanning was dislodged just after the victorious moment.

The 53-year-old regained consciousness at the track but was subsequently taken to the hospital for precautionary evaluations before returning home.

"Joe is doing well. He underwent precautionary scans on his head at New Cross Hospital in Wolverhampton, and they all came back clear,"

stated his agent Niall Hannity.

"He arrived home late last night, and I spoke with him this morning; he is in good spirits. I am uncertain about the duration of his absence. He will need to pass a baseline concussion test, and the decision on when he can take that lies with Dr Jerry Hill."

"We will assess his condition over the next couple of days, but it is unlikely that he will be riding this weekend or the following week."

A stewards' inquiry was conducted to review the race's outcomes following multiple instances of interference during the final stretch.

The stewards determined that Fanning had not violated any riding regulations and confirmed that the finishing positions would remain unchanged. However, Murphy was found guilty of careless riding.

According to the stewards' report,

"Murphy has been suspended for nine days as he allowed his horse to drift approximately two horse widths to the right, away from the whip, leading to interference with Sennockian. He then used the whip in his left hand, causing his horse to shift further right and interfere with Sennockian, ultimately resulting in Fanning's unseating after the finish line."

Murphy's suspension is scheduled for March 11 and 12, as well as from March 18 to 24, indicating that he will likely miss the opening weekend of the British Flat turf season at Doncaster.