Spencer to miss Oaks and Derby

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By PA Sport staff

JAMIE SPENCER will miss the Vodafone Oaks and Derby after being unsuccessful in his appeal to overturn a suspension imposed by the French authorities on May 13.

Partnering Excellent Art in the Poule d'Essai des Poulains, Spencer was hitwith a six-day ban for hampering Jimmy Fortune and Tariq early in the straight.

He was then handed a further four days for causing interference to Visionario and Christophe Soumillon with around a furlong left to run.

Spencer was represented at thehearing, which was conducted at the headquarters of France Galop, by solicitor Rory Mac Neice.

The jockey appealed solely against the decision made by the Longchamp stewards to hand him a four-day ban for the second incident in the French Guineas, butfailed in his bid to overturn the decision.

"We appealed against the four-day element of the 10-day ban but the suspension was upheld," confirmed Mac Neice.

A spokesman for France Galop added: "The decision regarding the initial suspension has been confirmed.

"The appeal was unsuccessful so he has been suspended for 10 days but he lodged an appeal only against the four days, not the six-day suspension."

As a result of the French ban, Spencer - who must already sit out May 23 and 24 for failing to ride out for sixth on High Heel Sneakers at Ascot on May 12 - will be out of action between May 25 and June 3 and is unavailable to partner Dalvina for Ed Dunlop in the Oaks.

Having sauntered to an emphatic six-length success in the Pretty Polly Stakes, the Grand Lodge filly currently trades as the 4-1 second-favourite behind Passage Of Time for the June 1 highlight