The 'Ludlow Seven' face Jockey Club

The 'Ludlow Seven' will learn their fate at Portman Square today and the outcome could spell trouble for top jumps jockey Timmy Murphy.

Murphy was one of seven riders who took the wrong course to avoid a stricken jockey in a hurdle race at the Shropshire track on 18 December.

Stewards on duty banned each of the septet for 12 days for taking the wrong course and a further seven for failing to pull up, but the riders have joined forces to launch a mass appeal and will be legally represented this morning.

Murphy described the ban as "a complete joke" and is adamant that 19 days was far too long a suspension for an error which he felt amounted to an innocent mistake. Some pundits feel his appeal could result in the ban being reduced, but the chances of it being nullified altogether seem very slim.

Whatever ban remains will kick in from tomorrow, in which case Murphy would almost certainly be unavailable to renew his partnership with improving Hot Shots in Saturday's Victor Chandler Chase at Ascot. The Jockey Club's Disciplinary Committee will also be working overtime this Thursday when a string of highprofile cases are due to reach their conclusion.

They include Keith Dalgleish and Joe Fanning who are on the mat after becoming the first British-based riders to test positive for alcohol while on duty at the races.