Jockey Niall McCullagh hit with 14-day suspension after marker pole blunder at Listowel

Veteran Group One winning jockey Niall McCullagh was suspended for 14 days at Listowel on Monday after appearing to easing up before the finish line.McCullagh’s mount Iamimmaculate looked to be getting the better of a duel with rival Dragon Of Malta, only for his 57-year-old rider to mistake a marker pole signifying there was 50-yards left to the finish line. Dragon Of Malta won the nine-furlong race by a head.In the stewards’ inquiry, McCullagh stated he “mistook the 50-yard marker for the winning post and took full responsibility.” The stewards found him in breach of Rule 212(iv)(a), banned him for 14 days, and ordered the rider to forfeit his riding fee. It was an embarrassing blunder for one the sport’s stalwart performers, who has held a license for 41 years.READ MOREHe rode his first winner 40 years ago and enjoyed perhaps his finest hour on board Royal Diamond, who landed the 2012 Irish St Leger. A year ago, McCullagh had a lucrative victory when partnering the JP McManus-owned Puturhandstogether in the €600,000 Irish Cesarewitch.The Listowel stewards were also in action after the opening two-year- old maiden, handing out a 60-day ban for the fifth horse home, Sonic Sabiha, under Non-Trier rules. Apprentice jockey Rebecca Parsons was suspended for 14 days, while Sonic Sabiha’s trainer David Marnane was fined €3,000.