During the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival, multiple false starts caused chaos in several races on Tuesday, March 10, 2026. The final race of the day, the National Hunt Challenge Cup Novices’ Handicap Chase, was notably impacted, leading to the suspension of jockey Danny Gilligan.
Cheltenham Festival Jockey Suspended for False Starts
Jockey Danny Gilligan, who rode the horse Will Do, received a one-day suspension for misconduct due to causing a second false start. The starter highlighted that Gilligan did not walk or jog his mount adequately to initiate the race properly.
Race Performance
- Gilligan’s other rides included:
- Dee Capo: Finished 14th in the Sun Racing Plate Handicap Chase.
- Koktail Brut: Finished 8th in the Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle.
- Will Do: Finished 11th in the National Hunt Challenge Cup Novices’ Handicap Chase.
After the suspension, Gilligan is scheduled to ride four horses on Wednesday. His rides include:
- Skylight Hustle at 3:20 PM in the Turners Novices Hurdle.
- Western Fold at 2:00 PM in the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase.
- Conflated at 3:20 PM in the Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase.
- Place De La Nation at 4:40 PM in the Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle on Thursday.
Additional Suspensions
Jockey Conor Stone-Walsh also received a two-day suspension for careless riding in the same race. He rode Iceberg Theory to a fifth-place finish but caused interference during the race. This incident involved Donagh Meyler on Backersackme and Sam Twiston-Davies on Guard the Moon. The interference occurred after the first fence, affecting both rides.
A statement confirmed that an inquiry found Stone-Walsh’s mount drifted left, resulting in Meyler having to check his horse to avoid contact with the rail. Consequently, Twiston-Davies also had to slightly adjust his position.
As the festival continues, race officials continue to monitor rides to ensure safety and fair competition for all participants.
