O'Neill sorry for butting horse

O'Neill plants a headbutt on City Affair

Jockey Paul O'Neill has apologised for the headbutt on a horse which could see him punished by the Horseracing Regulatory Authority.

He will be asked to explain his actions by the HRA next week after the incident at Stratford was caught by TV cameras.

O'Neill said: "I would like to say to the public that I'm very sorry they had to see such a thing. I've never done it before and it will never happen again."

O'Neill lost his cool when City Affair unseated him before a race.

Interview: Jockey Paul O'Neill

See Paul O'Neill apparently headbutt his horse

Having reviewed a video of the incident at Stratford involving the John O'Shea-trained gelding, the HRA disciplinary panel is set to hold an inquiry on 3 August.

O'Neill told the Racing Post how City Affair had proven difficult to control, even before it unseated him.

He said: "The horse had been very unruly leaving the parade ring.

"When we went to look at the last hurdle before hacking down to the two-mile start, he started reversing when we got to the hurdle and went under a railing which he lifted out of the ground.

"It took me five minutes to leave the railings and get him down to the start which I had to do as gently as I could.

"When I got to the start he headed straight for a car with me, stopped five feet from the car, whipped round and dropped me.

"I landed on my feet, but a bit awkwardly for my knee and I was a little bit angry then, but I've never done anything like this before and I'm glad to say the horse is okay after it and I have spoken to John O'Shea."