By Jon Lees
A young jockey reacted with fury after being robbed of his first victory under racing rules.
Chad Bament appeared to be coasting towards success on 17-2 chance Windance in the amateurs handicap chase at Plumpton on Monday.
They had taken up the running on the turn into the straight with just two more fences to jump.
The pair had pulled eight lengths clear of the rest as they approached the final fence and were trading at 1.01 (1-100) odds on Betfair.
But Windance landed steeply on the other side of the fence and Bament was thrown over his head onto the ground.
Bament briefly held onto the the reins and after letting them go punched the ground twice and then buried his face in the turf in utter frustration.
Windance’s part in a dramatic outcome did not end there with the loose horse then getting in the way of Gina Andrews on Gerico Ville on the run-in, enabling Izzie Marshall to snatch a neck victory on Everythng’sontick.
Marshall told Sky Sports Racing: "You have to be in the right place at the right time shall we say. I've had that sort of thing happen to me in the past so it works both ways. I was lucky the gaps appeared when they did."
There was sympathy for Bament on X with one punter commenting: “Feel for the jockey. His day will come.”
Another said: “Loving the fallen jockey’s reaction….soooo frustrated.”
The winning rider’s good fortune led one race fan to write: “I’m giving Izzie Marshall a buzz for Euromillions numbers this week.”
