An amateur jockey has been banned for 12 days after making his horse jump the last fence when he appeared to have ‘no more to give’. Shocked punters struggled to comprehend what happened in the Pointing Pointers’ Queen’s Cup Hunter Chase, the last race on the card at Fakenham on Friday.

Just four runners took part in the 3m race but after second favourite Bowtogreatness was pulled up and Coolagh Park had fallen, only two were still standing. At the second last fence 5-4 favourite Janika was bumped and unseated rider Charlotte Butler to leave Go On Chez on his own under Charlie Marshall.

Marshall kicked his mount on but as Go On Chez approached the final fence he slowed dramatically, almost to a walk, and appeared to be trying to pull up.

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Nevertheless Marshall persevered and asked his horse to jump the obstacle. Go On Chez landed in the fence but managed to scramble to the other side from where he was ridden to the line at a slow canter to confirm victory.

Describing the closing stages, race commentator Tim Peters said: “Go On Chez is looking pretty tired. He is almost stopping to a walk here.

“Going round the final turn he is pretty much going down to a walk. Can Charlie Marshall keep him going?

“Go On Chez has virtually pulled himself up. Charlie Marshall’s got to try and get him over this final fence. Go On Chez, can he get over it?

“Goodness me, he’s over, somehow! And he might as well walk him over the line now. What a dramatic finish here! He somehow clambered over the final fence and Go On Chez will go on and win in an extraordinary finish.”

Stewards took a dim view of the ride and after an inquiry punished the amateur with a 12-day suspension.

The inquiry determined that Marshall “had continued in the race when the horse appeared to have no more to give after barely being able to negotiate the final fence”.

Nick Lightfoot, the RacingTV reporter at Fakenham, said: “The stewards on site here deemed that on the absolute maximum side of what that offence was.

“I can only echo that. It was an extremely unpleasant look and when you’ve got a fairly strong crowd it is the kind of sight we do not want to see in racing and I am glad the BHA are taking as strong a stance on it.”