RACING: Kevin Darley received a 10-day ban at Ayr yesterday which rules him out of both the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes and the whole of Glorious Goodwood.

He was suspended from July 22nd-31st inclusive for not riding out for third place on Meaningful in the opening European Breeders Fund Maiden Stakes.

The colt was beaten a short head for the minor berth by Chookie Windsor.

Stipendiary steward Phil Tuck said: "It appeared as if Kevin Darley had stopped riding in the closing stages, and we felt he could and should have been third."

The race was won by the Howard Johnson-trained Pacific Pride, the mount of Robert Winston.

Darley is considering an appeal: "I will be discussing the matter with John Blake, secretary of the Jockeys' Association, and take it from there.

"I was only looking after the welfare of the horse in the closing stages - I was worried that something may have been wrong somewhere.

"If I had reported that when I came in, nothing would have been done. I kept him away from Robert's horse and was hoping to outstay him, but he started to hang left. I gave him one flick of the whip and it was only the rail which stopped him going any further.

"I had kept nudging away and it was just instinct that I did it a bit harder when the other horse came alongside. That may have made it look as if I had stopped riding and then started again, but I had not stopped.

"I will miss all Glorious Goodwood, and that is my favourite meeting, along with Ascot, so I am not very happy."

Darley was not the only one to fall foul of the stewards. Paul Mulrennan was stood down for two days (July 22nd and 24th) for using his whip with excessive frequency and down the shoulder on Mount Hillaby in the ntl: Handicap.

Paul Hanagan received a one-day ban (July 22nd) for careless riding on Divine Spirit in the James Halstead plc Stakes, and Nicky Mackay was fined £140 for arriving late in the parade ring before the Serendipity Interactive Handicap.