JOCKEY Adam Wedge and trainer Evan Williams have been banned and fined respectively for schooling and conditioning a horse at the racecourse.

After an investigation by the commissioners, Wedge was hit with a 14-day ban and his boss, Wales-based Williams, was fined £3,000.

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The horse, Klic Boum, finished seventh in a 2-mile maiden hurdle at Warwick for which he had a record of 250-1.

The four-year-old, who cost Goffs £11,000 last year, was beaten a combined 104 lengths in his three previous starts over hurdles.

HAS Warwick On Thursday, the horse made a promising start to the race, but by the fourth hurdle, he was already starting to weaken.

In the home stretch, Wedge, who has several Cheltenham Festival victories to his credit, including a Stayers Hurdle for Williams on Oscar Lisnagarwas known to handle his mount too tenderly.

A report said: “An investigation was carried out into the racing and conduct of Klic Boum, ridden by Adam Wedge and trained by Evan Williams, who was held towards the rear of the field, before being asked for an effort after the fourth match last hurdle, then rode under a seemingly tender ride in the final straight to finish seventh, beaten by 36 lengths.

The jockey continues: “his instructions had been to drop Klic Boum towards the back of the field with the intention of ensuring that the gelding finished his race strong.”

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Asked about his inactivity down the stretch, Wedge told the stewards it was due to the gelding hanging.

Williams was not present at the races, but his representative claimed he was not aware of any instructions the trainer gave to Wedge over the phone that morning.

The report continues: “He (Wedge) reported that the emphasis was on the horse finishing his race strong, but after riding the gelding’s previous races with the rider, there seemed to be little difference in the tactics and/or handling of the gelding. Klic Boum, who, although he had already run three times over hurdles as indicated in paragraph 13 of the “Code of Weights and Handicaps”, had not been assigned a handicap mark.”

Klic Boum was suspended from all racing for 40 days and Williams was fined £290 for failing to inform his representative of the driver’s instructions.

Punters took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to react.

One said: “What a shock. Two absolute gangsters.”

Another added: “A bit harsh.”

While one of them said: “He should be banned for life”.

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