Seven Cheltenham jockeys banned for 'misconduct' as controversy rocks the Festival

Seven Cheltenham jockeys have been banned following on from false start controversy.

Irish trio Keith Donoghue, Sean Flanagan and JJ Slevin were all hit with suspensions after stewards decided they "had not approached the tape at a walk or jig-jog thereby causing a false start".

A further four more jockeys participating in the Grand Annual have also picked up bans as officials clamp down and make an example.

Donoghue, Flanagan, Jordan Gainford, Darragh O’Keeffe, Danny McMenamin and Derek Fox all received one-day bans for "misconduct", while Slevin was suspended for an extra day because of a repeat offence.

Keith Donoghue was one of seven jockeys banned at Cheltenham. Image: Getty

All jockeys were interviewed and showed recordings before the verdict was reached, though Conor Stone-Walsh, having also been under fire, had his explanation accepted by stewards and avoided punishment.

The stewards' report said: "The Starter reported that Jordan Gainford, the rider of American Mike, Danny McMenamin, the rider of Nells Son, Conor Stone-Walsh, the rider of The King Of Prs, Darragh O’Keeffe, the rider of Jasko Des Dames, and Derek Fox, the rider of Primoz, had not approached the tape at a walk or jig-jog thereby causing a false start.

"Gainford, McMenamin, Stone-Walsh, O'Keeffe, Fox and the Starter were interviewed and shown recordings of the incident.

"Gainford, McMenamin, O’Keeffe and Fox were suspended for one day for misconduct at the start.

"Stone-Walsh’s explanation that his mount locked on and despite his best efforts, was difficult to restrain from charging the tape, was accepted."

Donoghue prevailed in comfortable fashion in Cross Country riding on Stumptown on Wednesday and both he and Slevin were installed as the two favourites for Thursday's opener at 1.20pm.

Donugue's view on start controversies

Earlier this week, Donoghue discussed issues with starts and explained they are different to what he is used to in his native Ireland.

"I fully understand how tough the starter's job is this week, but there just seems to be a lack of communication," he said, as per Racing Post.

"Sometimes he lets us go and sometimes he doesn't. It's just very hard to know what's going to happen.

"The starts are very different in Ireland. The communication seems better but, as I said, it's not an easy job and I appreciate how hard it is."