Jockey Rossa Ryan has been handed a 28-day suspension by Sandown Park stewards, dealing a significant setback to his pursuit of the jockeys’ championship. The 26-year-old rider received the suspension following an incident during a race where his horse, Thunder Home, narrowly lost by a nose to Zero Error.

The incident occurred when Ryan took a clear lead over the final furlong but appeared to ease off his ride for a brief moment inside the last 50 yards. As the Jamie Spencer-ridden winner challenged strongly on the outside, Ryan resumed pushing Thunder Home, but the horse was ultimately beaten at the finish line.

Stewards reviewed footage and interviewed Ryan before issuing the suspension on the grounds that he failed to take all reasonable and permissible measures to secure the best possible placing on a horse that would have otherwise won. The ban, effective from August 6 until September 2, means Ryan will miss key upcoming fixtures, including the York Ebor meeting.

Ryan is currently positioned a close third in the jockeys’ championship standings, trailing leader Billy Loughnane. The suspension compounds an already challenging period for Ryan, who is set to miss the Glorious Goodwood meeting next week due to an unrelated whip suspension.

The rider is expected to appeal against the 28-day ban, although if the appeal is unsuccessful, the enforced break will impact his championship campaign considerably during an important phase of the racing calendar.