Blow for Annie Mc camp as mare is withdrawn at Fairyhouse over vaccination error

Members of the Coral Champions Club and regular work-rider Chris Hughes were bitterly disappointed on Sunday after Annie Mc was withdrawn from the Grade 1 EBF Mares Novice Hurdle Championship Final at Fairyhouse due to a vaccination error.

Stewards ordered the Jonjo O'Neill-trained five-year-old's withdrawal, with Lynn Hillyer, chief veterinary officer of the IHRB, saying: "The vaccine required was not recorded in the passport."

Annie Mc was due to be the only British runner on the first day of the three-day Easter meeting at Fairyhouse and was around a 9-1 shot for what would have been her first run at the top level.

Love Island star Hughes, who acts as an ambassador for Coral, had spoken on Saturday of his high hopes for Annie Mc in the €100,000 contest, and tweeted on Sunday that he was "gutted" by her not being able to run.

Coral PR director Simon Clare said: "It’s incredibly frustrating. There’s no point going into the specifics but we feel that the issue was resolvable had time been given to resolve it. Unfortunately, the decision was made, Annie Mc was announced as a non-runner, and that was that.

"Everyone involved is understandably disappointed as we travelled over with high hopes of a big run.”

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