Trainer Michael Hourigan has urged the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board to tighten up the rules on the back of Saturday’s controversial race at Killarney where a Willie Mullins horse was allowed keep a race despite not having jumped one of the fences.
The Paul Townend-ridden Arctic Fly ducked left at the second fence in a Beginners Chase, crashing through a tiny gap between the wing of the obstacle and a birch upright at the end of the actual fence.
Arctic Fly eventually won the race by a head from the Hourigan-trained Ballywilliam Boy but some observers were unhappy at the result of a subsequent stewards’ enquiry that left the result unchanged.
After a couple of days examining his options, and consulting Ballywilliam Boy’s owner, Hourigan has opted not to appeal the verdict, claiming he would be “on a hiding to nothing” if he pursued the matter further.
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The veteran Limerick trainer, who has had a licence for over 50 years, might have felt he’d seen most scenarios the game could throw up but not this.
“I’m not going to appeal because the rules don’t justify it. There is no rule that you must jump inside the width of the fence. There is nothing in the rule book where I could get the race off Willie and there’s nothing in the rule book to give me the race. It is stupid, but that is the way it is at the moment. Something has to be done about it,” Hourigan said.
Saturday’s decision by the race-day stewards appeared to focus on the plastic wing approaching the fence which Arctic Fly remained on the correct side of in the incident. Had she knocked the wing the outcome may have been different. But it remains the case that Arctic Fly didn’t jump the fence.
“It might never again happen. But they were all in a panic when it did happen. But they could find no rule,” Hourigan added before confirming there would be no appeal. “I’d be on a hiding to nothing, I felt I would be anyway. I could do a lot more with my time than spending a day in the Turf Club.”
An IHRB spokesman wouldn’t comment on any specific element of the relevant rules employed in Saturday’s case but said: “The IHRB is committed to excellence through agility and continuous improvement in of our rules, structures and processes.
“A thorough review and revision of our rule book has commenced and should changes be required they will be captured as part of this process.”
The stewards report from Killarney stated: “The stewards were satisfied that, as per Regulation 9, Arctic Fly had remained on the correct side of the bundle of birch at the commencement of the rail to determine the correct course approaching the fence and jumped inside the wing of the fence. They were therefore satisfied that no further action was warranted.”
In other news, next month’s Irish Champions Festival will be minus on international star as stumps have been drawn on the star Australian sprinter Asfoora’s European summer campaign.
The Curragh’s Flying Five had been mooted as a target for June’s King Charles III Stakes winner following her fourth to Bradsell in last week’s Nunthorpe at York. Asfoora was also runner-up to Big Evs at Goodwood in between and trainer Henry Dwyer has opted to take his star home rather than travel to Ireland next month.
“We just thought she probably raced a length or two below her best [at York] and whether that was track condition-related or something else I’m not sure,” explained Dwyer on Monday.
“I know she had a very busy preparation, and I just don’t see the upside in continuing with it. I’m happy to look after her in the knowledge she is going to race on next year, so there is no point bottoming her out now.
“She can go home in a couple of weeks after quarantine and then we can start thinking about plans for next year,” he added.
Another sprinter out of the autumn calculations is Vandeek who has been retired from racing for a stallion career in 2025. Last year’s Prix Morny and Middle Park winner has run twice without success during an injury-interrupted season, including when third in the July Cup. He is set to stand at Cheveley Park Stud.
Such star power will be in short supply at Tuesday’s Bellewstown card but victory in the 1½ mile fillies maiden will be a priority for Ballydoyle’s regally-bred Rubies Are Red.
The full sister to Arc heroine Found boasts an official 97 rating that theoretically should make her very hard to beat. A repeat of her effort when runner-up to You Got To Me in May’s Lingfield Oaks Trial will certainly suffice but she has been far from convincing since then.
First-time blinkers might prove decisive but if not the 84-rated Realt Na Ri could be the one to take advantage. Her stable companions Fiona McCoul and Lucky Melody also look to hold good chances elsewhere on the programme.
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