Vacuum of information left by stewards provoked unnecessary speculation

Tuesday's incident at Punchestown ranks among the most bizarre I have witnessed in any race, never mind in a Grade 1 event in full glare of the media at a major fixture.

Despite moves by the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board to supply clarity on Wednesday morning, a significant element of uncertainty still surrounds the circumstances that caused Paul Townend to execute a manoeuvre that put the safety of his fellow riders at risk and, crucially, altered the shape of the race with profound implications for punters.

In the immediate aftermath the incident was clumsily handled by the Punchestown stewards, whose terse account of their interview with Townend offered not even the most cursory explanation.