"Farcical scenes at Tramore"

[Sheerluck Holmes]

Judge calls wrong result after farcical scenes at Tramore by Justin O'Hanlon
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THERE were farcical scenes at Tramore on Monday as all 14 riders involved in the Newtown Handicap Chase pulled up a circuit too early, causing such confusion that even the judge called the wrong result. Five of the riders realised theirmistake in time to go out to ride the final circuit with the 2m5f race eventually falling to 9-4 favourite Mr Aussie, ridden by Andrew McNamara, who then had to survive a stewards' inquiry. However, even one of those five, Davy Russell, could not escape censure from the stewards who in total banned ten of the jockeys for five days apiece. The 14 runners were due to pass the winning post three times during the race but as the field approached it for the second time a few of the jockeys began to rideout their mounts. Course commentator Jerry Hannon second guessed himself and called a finish and even the judge got it wrong, as the result was announced as a win for top-weight Boher Storm from Doc Charlie and Mr Aussie as some of the riders headed back to the unsaddling enclosure. McNamara, Russell, aboard eventual runner-up Doc Charlie, Tommy Treacy, Barry Cash and Sean Flanagan then realised their error and completed the final circuit. Some thought the race would be declared void but a stewards' inquiry confirmed the placings with Alberoni, Dream Believer and Ballysheedy also judged to have finished the race, with the other nine runners pulled up. Bookmakers Paddy Power refunded stakes on all losing bets in this race. The meat of the enquiry though took place after the last race, with all of the riders lined up outside the stewards room for individual grillings. In the end the Stewards found that Andrew McNamara, Jackson, Cash and Coleman had no case to answer, essentially because noneof those riders had ridden a finish even though they had pulled up.				The other ten riders were all hit with five-day bans for being in breach of Rule 212, the rule concerning taking due care and attention to achieve their best possible placing and were ordered to forfeit their riding fee. Orlando Kelly, the other rider involved failed to present himself at this enquiry and was referred to the Turf Club. Stewards' secretary Lorcan Wyer said: "The base of the inquiry was that all riders looked like they mistook the distance of the race and having looked at the videos the stewards accepted the evidence of the four riders but all other riders were found to be in breach of rule 212. "All of the riders accepted that they were confused as to how many times they had to go round." The decision to ban current jockeys' title race leader Russell seemed harsh especially as he eventually finished second and did not really get over-vigorous on his mount. He said: "There was doubt in my mindand that's why I never left the track. We'd gone very hard and I was always trying to give my horse a chance. I'm disgusted with myself, I don't know why I pulled up, it just seemed the thing to do. It's burning me inside that I pulled up." McNamara said: "I never hit my fellow, I was fully sure there was another circuit. I had a chat with Davy when we pulled up and we both thought the same. Even coming down the hill I was only tipping away and suddenly everyone started riding a finish. I was roaring that we had another circuit to go and others were roaring that we didn't, and it would make you doubt yourself. I stayed on the track and walked around in a circle, I asked the doctor to ring the judge but before the judge came out we kicked on."

[Big Andy]

Re: "Farcical scenes at Tramore" I saw it all happen live mate, incredible it was:eek I'm sure it'll be on the atr website if anybody wants to watch it:lol

[Sheerluck Holmes]

Re: "Farcical scenes at Tramore" Sounds funny/ridiculous depending on if you had money on i suppose . . . P.s. Sorry if formatting all wrong above.

[Big Andy]

Re: "Farcical scenes at Tramore" forget about the video, i've just watched it again on atr and the footage finishes early:eyes even the commentator got roped into thinking it was the finishing stages:loon