Sligo result stands despite race starting five minutes early

There was confusion at Sligo on Tuesday evening when the opening mares' maiden hurdle went off nearly five minutes earlier than scheduled.

Caer crossed the line in front around the same time as the race should have actually started, prompting stewards to hold an inquiry into whether the Noel Meade-trained second-favourite should keep the race or whether it should be voided.

Having inquired, the stewards allowed the result to stand. It is understood the early beginning to the race, which should have started at 5.15, was down to a communication error between the clerk of the course and the starter.

Meade said: "Common sense is the word. It would have been a disaster for everybody if they'd changed it. It would have made no sense at all."

The stewards have the power to use their own discretion in situations where races start early after the wording of rule 10 of the Irish rules of racing was changed some years ago to stop automatic race voiding.

The rule states: "In addition to the powers of the Stewards set forth in Rule 10(i), the Stewards may declare a race to be void if...the start is before the appointed time."

Meade added: "I did lose a race at Leopardstown one day. I was walking down to the start and they had gone off five minutes early and it was null and void.

"They’ve changed the rule now to may be declared void from will be."

Sligo stewards referred the matter on to the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board for further investigation.

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