Murphy ban cut to just one day

Timmy Murphy received an early Christmas present today when his seven-day ban for improper riding was reduced to one day by the Jockey Club on appeal.

The decision means that Martin Pipe's number one stable jockey is now free to partner a host of fancied rides over the lucrative holiday period, including Therealbandit in Boxing Day's King George VI Chase at Kempton Park.

Murphy will serve his one-day ban on Monday, so he will miss the meeting at Wetherby where Well Chief was entered, but he can ride in the Coral Welsh National the day after.

The Irishman was originally found guilty by the Plumpton stewards of having thrown his whip at his mount, Semi Precious, after the pair fell at the fourth-last fence at the East Sussex track on 13 December.

Meanwhile, the news that the Paul Nicholls trained Azertyuiop is one of the 13 runners today declared for Sunday's big race has not pleased everyone.

Following the decision, Andy Stewart, owner of Azertyuiop's stablemate Le Roi Miguel, was informed that top Irish rider Ruby Walsh had deserted his horse to take the mount on the Champion two-miler.

Paul Carberry has stepped in to take the ride on Le Roi Miguel but an upset Stewart, speaking to the Racing Post from Barbados, said: "I had a phone call from Ruby saying he couldn't ride Le Roi Miguel because he loves Azertyuiop so much, but I wasn't really interested in his reasons.

"Ruby knew there was a problem with jockeys but leaves it up to the last minute to tell me. I won't bother going now. This game is meant to be fun, but it certainly doesn't seem that way to me now."

Azertyuiop was expected to run in the Castleford Chase at Wetherby on Monday but has been switched to Kempton because of rain at the West Yorkshire track. Stewart, who even considered pulling Le Roi Miguel out of the King George, added: "I don't know about me and Ruby now. I never say never, but I've been brought up to stand by my word; obviously Ruby isn't the same."

Trainer Nicholls said: "The decision to ride Azertyuiop was down to Ruby. I was under the impression he would ride Le Roi Miguel."

Followers of triple Gold Cup winner Best Mate, who were hoping that he might join the Kempton line-up, have been disappointed. He has been withdrawn from the Kempton event to run in his intended target, the Lexus Chase at Leopardstown on Tuesday.