Jockey Richard Hughes has lost his appeal against a five-day ban heard by the Jockey Club's disciplinary committee on Friday.

Hughes was suspended after being found guilty of minor irresponsible riding on Dune in the Melrose Stakes at the Ebor meeting at York earlier this month.

Stewards at York decided the Irishman had moved across Richard Quinn's mount Stance.

Soon after, Dune himself was squashed between Johnny Murtagh's mount Kasthari and eventual winner Total Turtle ridden by Jamie Spencer.

'Disgrace'

"I'm dumbfounded," Hughes said after the appeal hearing.

"Maybe keeping two days if they say I was wrong but the whole five days - it's an absolute disgrace.

"The only evidence I had was the aerial view that showed I wasn't looking for a gap but they didn't seem to take much notice of it.

"But what can you do? I might get myself a holiday and recharge the batteries."

The suspension will dent Hughes' chances of catching Kieren Fallon in the jockeys' championship.

However, Fallon himself is due before the Jockey Club next Thursday under the "totting up" rule.

Any jockey who collects more than 16 days of suspension in a 12-month period is automatically referred to the Jockey Club Disciplinary Committee.

Fallon could face an additional ban of up to 14 days.