Rothwell rages against raceday stewards after falling foul of non-triers rule

Tuesday: Limerick

It is not often a low-grade handicap hurdle generates debate long after darkness descends on a racecourse, but that is exactly what happened at Limerick when the raceday stewards took exception to two separate rides in the first division of the Fexco Asset Finance Handicap Hurdle (1.55) and left trainer Philip Rothwell fuming.

The race was won by Lake Chad, who was ousted for favouritism before the off by the Mark Fahey-trained Strong Roots, whose ride by Gavin Brouder caught the attention of the stewards.

However, they could not consider the ride from Brouder, who eventually finished ninth as the 85-40 favourite, because the rider took a crashing fall in the second division of the race and was unable to attend the inquiry. The matter was referred on.

The drama did not end there as Rothwell raged against the raceday stewards for fining him €2,000, suspending jockey Adam Short for ten days and banning Duffys Hodey for 60 days under the non-triers rule after they could manage only sixth in the same race.

Rothwell insisted Duffys Hodey lost a hind shoe and disputed the opinion of the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board veterinary officer, who said the horse was post-race normal.

He told Racing TV: "I can't believe it. Halfway down the back I wondered if Adam should stay going and, if it was one of my riders who knew the horse, it would have been questionable if they kept going.

"He rode him from a half a mile out. When I watched the race back on TV I wondered why I was there [in the stewards' room] at all."

Rothwell added: "This horse was involved in a running-and-riding inquiry before when ridden by a kid who worked in the yard. He was dropped in and stayed on and ran well and was suspended for 45 days.

"We rode him more prominently at Galway and he didn't get home. First run in a handicap today, he was dropped in and stayed on. It's the right way to ride him and we'll always do it.

"However, he hung to his left and came back missing a shoe. That was reported. It was reported that he hung. Michael Walsh, the farrier, saw the horse down in the stableyard and agreed that he was tender on his foot but the Turf Club vet found him to be post-race normal."

Results, replays and analysis

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