Interloper faces racing ban in England

A man who gatecrashed Sizing John’s Cheltenham Gold Cup celebrations is set to be banned from all tracks owned by Arena Racing Company after appearing in the winner’s enclosure at Yarmouth.

Richard Melia, who was spotted next to Frankel on Champions Day in 2012, was present in the Yarmouth paddock after the Jim Crowley-ridden Gabr won on Thursday.

Glen Tubby, executive director at Yarmouth, confirmed Melia had been ejected from the racecourse following the incident, and expects ARC to ban him from its venues in the future.

“There has been a stewards’ inquiry on the matter involving the gentleman leading in the horse,” Tubby said.

“Upon finding out about this incident, we have made inquiries with our head office regarding terms and conditions of entry that he may have breached.

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“… it is likely he will be banned from all ARC racecourses in the future.”

Melia has encroached on celebrations on more than one occasion, being snapped with Collier Bay after his 1996 Champion Hurdle victory, Auroras Encore after his Grand National win in 2013 and when Camelot won the Derby in 2012.

“I will have to go to the Breeders’ Cup next as they are on to me in England,” Melia said.

“I’ve done other sports since the Gold Cup. I did the Anthony Joshua versus Wladimir Klitschko fight and shook hands with them both after the fight.

“I’ve done the Moto GP at Jerez in Spain. The King was there so I got thrown off the grid, but I met Valentino Rossi. I climbed over lorries and fences and cut my leg to get on the grid.”