Everybody wants to do a Zidane

MUMBAI: Jump jockey Paul O’Neill is being investigated after television coverage showed him apparently head-butting his mount before a race at Stratford in the UK.

In a bizarre incident, City Affair, trained by John O’Shea, was unruly before the start of a novices’ selling hurdle race and unseated O’Neill. The jockey got to his feet and grabbed the reins, pulling his mount to him, before lowering the butt of his helmet towards the horse. The pair eventually finished fourth in the race.

The Horseracing Regulatory Authority will hold an inquiry after examining footage of the incident. A spokesman for the RSPCA said O’Neill’s behaviour at Sunday’s meeting was “totally stupid and irresponsible. We trust the racing authority will deal appropriately with the jockey,” the RSPCA spokesman told BBC Sport.

“We are satisfied the horse wasn’t actually distressed or suffered any injury as a result of this incident, but it sets a very poor example and is not the way to behave with animals. People in a position of responsibility, dealing with horses, shouldn’t be behaving that way.”

Jockey Paul O’Neill has apologised for the head butt on a horse which could see him punished by the Horseracing Regulatory Authority. O’Neill said: “I would like to say to the public that I’m very sorry they had to see such a thing. I’ve never done it before and it will never happen again.”