LONDON -- Jockey Paul O'Neill will be investigated by the
sport's governing body after television replays showed him
head-butting his horse, City Affair.
The Horseracing Regulatory Authority made the decision Monday to
hold an inquiry after reviewing TV footage from the incident at the
Stratford races on Sunday.
"We haven't got a date set, but we are going to go for some
time next week -- our inquiry day is usually on the Thursday," HRA
spokesman Owen Byrne said.
City Affair was being unruly in the parade ring, ultimately
throwing O'Neill. The jockey got to his feet and grabbed the reins,
pulling the horse to him, before lowering the butt of his helmet
into it.
"Angry jockey does a 'Zidane' to his horse," read the headline
of London's Evening Standard, referring to French soccer star
Zinedine Zidane's infamous head-butt in the World Cup final.
City Affair went on to finish fourth in the two-mile event.
O'Neill was given a caution by stewards for his use of the whip in
the race.
The 26-year-old O'Neill, who has ridden 51 winners, was
questioned by the HRA over his ride of a novice hurdler in March.