Gary and Josh Moore fined £1,000 for saddling mistake which resulted in 17-year-old Toby Moore's runner-up being disqualified

A day which started with optimism for Toby Moore ended in disappointment when he was disqualified for weighing in light – and it led to his grandfather being fined £1,000.

An error made when Miller Spirit, trained by Gary and Josh Moore, was being saddled led to a 15lb discrepancy coming to light when the 17-year-old 7lb claimer weighed in after finishing second in the 1m4f handicap.

Moore took the lead over two furlongs out, was headed close home, then rallied before going down by a short-head to the Sheena West-trained Macari. 

After the race, winning rider Rose Dawes told Sky Sports Racing: “I feel guilty. I told Toby he’d won. He’ll get his first winner very soon, he’s a very good rider.”

His mount was disqualified and the Andrew Balding-trained Music Piece promoted to second.

The stewards' report read: "The clerk of the scales objected to Miller Spirit, placed second, on the grounds of the rider weighing in at 8st 7lb having weighed out at 9st 8lb. [Trainers Gary and Josh] Moore was fined £1,000 as the trainer’s representative had failed to saddle the horse correctly by failing to add the correct weight cloth to Miller Spirit."

The Moores' other runner in the race, Autumn's Breeze ridden by Ashley Lewis, was due to carry 8st 9lb.

The son of Ballydoyle number one jockey Ryan Moore had earlier finished fifth in the 2m apprentice handicap on the same stable's Yellow Star,  who opened 6-1 but was backed into 15-8 favouritism.

Read this next:

'It was a stab in the gut' - James Bowen's agony as he watched Cheltenham from the ski slopes 

Looking for free bets? Racing Post have got the best offers, all in one place. Visit racingpost.com/freebets to find out more.