Jockeys fined after jumps race ends in farce

DUBLIN (Reuters) - A jumps race at Tramore in south-east Ireland on Monday ended in farce with nine of the jockeys banned for five days.

All 14 riders finished a circuit too early in the fifth race of the afternoon over two miles five furlongs, eased down and began to head towards the unsaddling enclosure.

But five of them then realized their mistake, returned to action and completed the final circuit, Andrew McNamara winning the race on 9-4 favorite Mr Aussie by six lengths.

While jockeys individually occasionally ride a finish too early it is rare for an entire field to do so. Their mistake even fooled the commentator who described the first "finish" in animated terms before also realizing the error.

The jockeys of the horses that finished second, third and fifth were among those banned, the stewards deciding that like the others they had also failed to give their mounts every chance to obtain a best possible finishing position.