Holy Moly! Bid for divine intervention backfires for Beat The Bank team

You might have thought there was enough water at Ascot on Champions Day without scattering around any more.

But more was scattered, and now BHA boffins are faced with what surely has to be a unique task – assuring themselves that the water was in fact holy.

The BHA and its stewards were called into action when Queen Elizabeth II Stakes second favourite Beat The Bank had his legs sprinkled with water in the saddling boxes by his Thai owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha.

The incident was piped to the stable inspecting officer, and stipendiary steward Robert Earnshaw said: "It was witnessed that Beat The Bank's legs were being sprayed with water.

"We held an inquiry and were told it was holy water – water that had been blessed. But we don't know that for sure, so it's been sent away for analysis."

Explanation was noted

The stewards' report stated: "The stable inspecting officer, Andrew Balding, the trainer, his travelling head lad and a stipendiary steward were interviewed.

"Balding’s explanation that he believed the substance to be water which had been sprayed by the owner for good luck was noted and a report was forwarded to the head office of the BHA."

Unfortunately the intervention failed to produce the desired good karma as Beat The Bank trailed home tenth.

This result might, however, save Leicester City stars Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez from a similar pre-match ritual from Srivaddhanaprabha, also owner of the Premier League team, who lifted his spirits with an away win at Swansea.

Full race result