The trainer of a 50-1 underdog who finished fifth at Glorious Goodwood was left furious on Friday, and claimed a winning jockey's riding was "dangerous".
Raphael Freire and owner Hans Christian Valstad complained about Tom Marquand's actions on Rocchigiani. The German raider held The Wizard Of Eye by three quarters of a length in the Group 3 Bonhams Thoroughbred Stakes.
Hotline Bling was four-and-a-half lengths behind the 11-2 winner, who hampered him around a furlong out from the finish.
Post-race, Friere and Valstad objected to the result and suggested their horse could have been fourth without the interference. The prize money difference between that place and fifth was £2,670.
Before an enquiry was held and televised on ITV Racing, Valstad told the Racing Post : "Our jockey said he needed to pull him and he was out of his gallop. He said it was dangerous riding. Back home in Scandinavia this isn't the correct result. The winner is probably correct, but the result of the rest of the field is not right."
Marquand told the stewards he tried to correct his horse immediately after he heard a shout from his rival jockey.
He said: "Between me following the rail round and James (Doyle, rider of The Wizard Of Eye) going up the rail, it made a dead end for Hotline Bling and I apologise for that. Hotline Bling might have finished a length or so closer but in no way did it make the difference of the winning margin."
Following the discussion and replays of the reverse camera angle showing the incident, it was decided to keep the placings as they were.
Marquand was handed a short suspension for his "careless riding" error on the Peter Schiergen-trained winner, who scooped £56,710.
The post-race report, published by the British Horseracing Authority, read: "The stewards considered that the interference had not improved Rocchigiani's placing as the interference occurred with sufficient distance from the winning post at a time when Marquand had raced from behind Hotline Bling and was passing the colt at the time to easily win by four-and-a-half lengths which was more than the momentum lost as a result of the interference.
"Marquand was suspended for three days for careless riding as he failed to leave sufficient room for the two runners on his inside at the dog leg causing Martinez to take a check."
Rocchigiani was making his second visit to one of the big meetings in England, with a fifth place in Royal Ascot's Jersey Stakes on his record.
"He looked like he had a good bit of speed, so when Hotline Bling burst clear, I was happy to sit and use that injection of speed to go and win the race," Marquand added. “It got a little bit messy at the two-furlong pole when the leader weakened, but this horse has travelled over really well for the Peter Schiergen team and it is a job well done."
