Tuesday 4 July 2017 18:13, UK
Jockey Tom Eaves believes Weekend Offender was "unfortunate" after he lost any chance of victory at Hamilton at the start.
The Kevin Ryan-trained runner was sent off the 4-1 joint-favourite for the Almada Mile Handicap but his race was over virtually as the stalls opened.
After being blindfolded to enter the stalls, Weekend Offender appeared to lose his balance in the opening strides and Eaves was unable to remove the hood as the rest of the field raced away, with the jockey opting to pull his mount up.
Eaves said: "I was shouting at the starter, obviously. He is gutted he didn't hear me. It's just unfortunate.
"It's just one of those things. There's no badness in him, he just wriggles around a bit in there (stalls). Just as the last one was coming in, he got his foot on the running board at the side and you can't jump then.
"You can't do anything, he nearly fell over coming out.
"I was shouting the starter, he didn't hear me and the stalls lad at the back was shouting as well.
"It's just unfortunate. I'm gutted for the owners, they're good owners in the yard and friends, but the horse is OK."
A number of bookmakers, including Sky Bet, offered to refund bets on Weekend Offender, with the race eventually being won by 16-1 shot Hibou.
Elsewhere on the card, jockey James Sullivan was banned for seven days (July 18-24 inclusive) after he was found guilty of careless riding aboard third-placed Ahundrednotout in the Ferniegair Handicap.
