By the way, I just saw the footage. He headbutted the horse HARD. What a jackas*!!!!
-----------
O'Neill headbutts horse
[FONT=Geneva,Arial,sans-serif]Tuesday July 25, 2006
The Guardian
[/FONT]The jockey Paul O'Neill was facing a short ban from race-riding last night after it emerged that he had head-butted a horse at Stratford on Sunday. The 26-year-old, riding City Affair for the first time, was thrown as they arrived at the start for a two-mile selling hurdle.
Having landed on his feet in front of the horse, O'Neill appeared to drop his crash-helmeted forehead on to his erstwhile mount's nose.
The pair were reunited for the race and finished fourth. Stewards at the track took no action but Paul Struthers, a spokesman for the Horseracing Regulatory Authority, said yesterday that O'Neill would face a disciplinary hearing for improper riding. The most likely sanction is a short ban from riding, in line with the oneday suspension meted out in 2004 to Timmy Murphy, who hit a horse with a whip after it had unseated him.
Article continues
</IMG>
John O'Shea, who trains City Affair, said last night: "Paul rang me and said he was sorry for what happened yesterday. I haven't seen it yet. The horse is a very, very difficult character, but I couldn't comment on the incident until I've seen it."
-----------
O'Neill headbutts horse
[FONT=Geneva,Arial,sans-serif]Tuesday July 25, 2006
The Guardian
[/FONT]The jockey Paul O'Neill was facing a short ban from race-riding last night after it emerged that he had head-butted a horse at Stratford on Sunday. The 26-year-old, riding City Affair for the first time, was thrown as they arrived at the start for a two-mile selling hurdle.
Having landed on his feet in front of the horse, O'Neill appeared to drop his crash-helmeted forehead on to his erstwhile mount's nose.
The pair were reunited for the race and finished fourth. Stewards at the track took no action but Paul Struthers, a spokesman for the Horseracing Regulatory Authority, said yesterday that O'Neill would face a disciplinary hearing for improper riding. The most likely sanction is a short ban from riding, in line with the oneday suspension meted out in 2004 to Timmy Murphy, who hit a horse with a whip after it had unseated him.
Article continues
</IMG>
John O'Shea, who trains City Affair, said last night: "Paul rang me and said he was sorry for what happened yesterday. I haven't seen it yet. The horse is a very, very difficult character, but I couldn't comment on the incident until I've seen it."
ush:
