Henrietta Knight was in a reflective mood after Denis O'Regan rode a finish a circuit too early on her Harringay at Fakenham on Monday - a blunder which earned him a 14-day ban.

O'Regan kicked into a clear lead on the eight-year-old mare from Knight's West Lockinge stables, near Wantage, approaching what he thought was the last obstacle in the Weatherbys Bloodstock Insurance Beginners' Chase.

However, there was another circuit to go, and the Irishman's mount - a 5-2 chance - passed the post too late to jump the fence in front of the stands.

The race went to 13-8 favourite Cathedral Rock, trained by Nick Gifford, while a red-faced O'Regan, riding at the Norfolk track for the first time, was banned from January 25 to February 7.

Knight said: "He's absolutely devastated, but it's just one of those things and they have been telling me this has apparently happened here before.

"He did know there were three circuits as we were talking about it in the paddock before, but it's just simple human error and there's no point getting angry about it. He's paid the price anyway.

"The one thing I would say is that they really should doll off the finishing line until the final circuit, like they do at some other tracks, and then it would never happen again."

10:00pm Monday 14th January 2008

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