Harlov on high at Stratford after Ruby's low point (From Tewkesbury Admag)

Harlov on high at Stratford after Ruby's low point

TOP jockey Ruby Walsh received a 14-day suspension for taking the wrong course at Stratford last Friday night.

It was an amazing blunder by the 29-year-old Irishman on board favourite and 2005 winner Gallik Dawn in the Pertemps Handicap Steeple Chase.

Walsh was chasing Surface to Air up the home straight on the stand rails but, inexplicably, failed to veer left towards the centre course and finish line instead finding the narrowest of gaps in the fenced off water jump, adjacent to the winning post, and then having to hop over the obstacle.

Surface To Air, meanwhile, steered a victory course under Tom Messenger after a courageous run with Super Judge placed second and fellow Irish raider Bellaney Jewel promoted to third.

A stewards' enquiry found Walsh guilty - a mistake the jockey admitted and one that will sideline him for a fortnight.

The evening started well for Walsh but not for officials at Luddington Road.

After all the flood chaos of 2007, a sunny day prompted hopes of a bumper crowd and fair weather. However, heavy rain prior to the evening meeting may not have deterred racegoers but certainly made the going tricky and left punters sheltering for cover before Walsh easily took the opener on odds-on shot Oumeyade for Paul Nicholls.

The winning partnership missed out on a 24-hour double on Saturday when Oumeyade finished half-a-length adrift of Tom George's 10/1 chance Lord Ryeford in the Jenkinson Caterers Handicap Chase.

However, there was a repeat success as Walsh and Nicholls combined to land the opener when Woolcombe Folly was a 17-length winner of the Griffin Heating Handicap Hurdle.

The Shepton Mallet handler looked set to make it a swift double in Friday night's Barteak Developments Hunters' Steeple Chase when favourite Armaturk, a winner of 13 races in a along and successful career, was right on the shoulder of Reflector at the last but the 11-year-old send jockey Paul Hemmings timbling leavinf Marilyn Scudamore's seven-year-old to canter home by 28 lengths.

Saturday's feature race was the 50th running of the Pertemps People Development Group Cup Champion Hunters' Steeplechase for the Horse and Hound Cup and a thrilling finish ensued with Harlov taking the victory by a neck from Take The Stand.

The other winners on Saturday evening were First Feerie, a winner of the Amateur Riders' Handicap Hurdle for Noel Chance, while Gloucestershire handler George doubled up when Down The Stretch prevailed by a neck in the fifth race with Forest Green, another Walsh/Nicholls entry, eight lengths adrift in fourth after being sent off as favourite.

Fleur De Niklos was an easy winner of the Ladies' Hunter Chase, while the Novices' Handicap Hurdle was won by Desert Lover in another thrilling finish, Weststern, trained by Milton Harris and ridden by Tony McCoy was a distant 12th having been sent off as favourite.

There was also a spectacular fall for Richard Johnson in Friday night's Jewson Novices' Hurdle when leader Beherayn sent the jockey flying over the centre course railings on the first circuit.

Both horse and jockey recovered and Walsh again was involved in a thrilling finish that saw Jamie Goldstein steer 6/1 chance Golan Way to victory over the Nicholls' trained 7/4 favourite Sendani.

After finding the right path to the finish line twice, it was all the more puzzling as to why Walsh amde such a horrendous error in the next before the amateur jockeys took centre stage for the night's feature race the Champion Novices' Hunter Steeple Chase for the John Corbet Cup.

Polly Gundry, who rode Earthmover to victory 11 years ago, was right in the mix on a horse she trains at Axminster, Kiami, but it was favourite French Thyne and Robbers Glen who fought it out over the last 200 yards with the latter making the long trip south worthwhile for Newcastle-upnn-Tyne owner, trainer and jockey Valerie Jackson.

Tont McCoy flew in for the last but had to settle for second on 12/1 shot Rajayoga as the Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained Grand Slam Hero with Paddy Brennan on board had more than two lengths to spare at the finish.

There's another meeting at Luddington Road on Sunday and a second one next month on Sunday, June 15.