Jockey sparks uproar after claiming male rival's 30-day ban is 'totally unfair'
FURIOUS punters turned on a popular jockey after she claimed a rival's 30-day ban for an awful ride was 'totally unfair'.
Stewards slapped Paco Lopez with a month-long suspension after he eased his horse Ridin With Biden down before the post.
Missing out on second place cost connections just shy of £16,000 and led to trainer Butch Reid saying he believed the hefty ban was 'justified'.
But Chantal Sutherland - who was once named in the 'world's 100 most beautiful people' - copped a load of stick online after she stuck up for Lopez.
Although the jockey himself opted not to appeal the ban, she insisted he should have because the horse's slow finish was not his fault.
Officials at Parx racecourse in Philadelphia, US, said Lopez 'failed to give his best effort' on the horse in the Grade 3 Greenwood Cup.
Punters agreed it was a shocking finish but Sutherland blasted the decision to ban the jockey.
She wrote on X: "Totally unfair call! Paco’s horse was hitting a wall hard for trying to chase the winner.
"The horse was stopping fast and it wasn’t Paco’s fault. In my opinion it’s dangerous to pursue on a horse tiring that fast, they could fall or take a bad step.
"He should 1000 per cent appeal it."
Conditions at Parx were awful - the going was officially 'sloppy' - and Lopez hugged the waterlogged rail on Ridin With Biden.
By giving his horse an easy time at the end Lopez - who was once punched three times in the face after a fellow jockey saw red - was pipped to second by 85-1 outsider My Imagination.
The 30-100 fav Next ran out the 25-length winner.
Sutherland said she was 'not sure' why Lopez stuck to the inside.
She added: "Maybe the horse was lugging in with him from being so tired, but by doing that he made it even more physically taxing on the horse.
"Possibly why he was stopping so bad and so tired."
Punters weren't buying her reasoning though, with one hitting back: "Always been a fan, Chantal, but you’re defending the indefensible."
While another said: "Oh come on Chantal! Give me a break!"
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