McBride out to ensure a Kiss is just a Kiss as mix-up horse returns

Millie’s Kiss, the horse at the centre of an unprecedented mix-up when she ran in the wrong race at Yarmouth, makes her first appearance since that embarrassment 11 days ago in the 1m2f handicap (5.45) at Windsor on Monday evening.

Mistaken for juvenile stablemate Mandarin Princess, Millie’s Kiss was saddled in error by her trainer Charlie McBride for a 6f novice stakes and duly beat her year-younger rivals under John Egan.

It was only later identified that the shock 50-1 scorer was not newcomer Mandarin Princess but in fact three-year-old Millie’s Kiss, who had been due to run later on the card.

McBride called the error a "genuine, honest mistake", which he said had come about as he was delayed collecting the saddle and then in rushing to tack up the horse in time for the race.

Charlie McBride: fined £1,500 for running the wrong horse at Yarmouth in JulyCredit: Mark Cranham

Despite the mistake being identified by the post-race sampling unit, the racecourse stewards had no power under the rules of racing to amend the result as the weighed-in announcement had been made.

The result has been referred to the BHA for an inquiry on Thursday.

“I'll be holding my hands up and pleading guilty because I made a mistake and I want to move on and get it over with,” said the Newmarket trainer.

Millie’s Kiss, who faces seven rivals at Windsor over a trip four furlongs further than last time, will be unpenalised for that Yarmouth run. Mandarin Princess remains the official winner until her likely disqualification on Thursday.

“At the moment, officially, Mandarin Princess ran in that race at Yarmouth and of course Mandarin Princess will be disqualified,” said McBride.

“So although Milly’s Kiss ran in the race and was the winner, she never ‘officially’ ran in it so runs off the same handicap mark and hopefully she’ll run well. She seems in good nick.”

The trainer added: “Until Mandarin Princess gets officially disqualified on Thursday, she can’t run in a maiden because she’s officially a winner even though she’s never run, so there’s no point entering her until she’s officially disqualified.”

The Yarmouth race appears in Millie’s Kiss’s form in the Racing Post pending the BHA inquiry.