Starting stalls malfunction at Fairyhouse

The starting stalls malfunctioned in the Dublin's Q102 Apprentice Handicap at Fairyhouse today, with eventual winner Ebasani one of just three horses, from 11 runners, to leave the stalls at the first attempt.

Ebasani was one of three horses positioned in the inside section of stalls but while he along with Automated and Roconga got away as ‘scheduled’, the outer section of eight stalls failed to open. Happily the trio of jockeys were able to pull up their respective mounts quickly and with the minor matter of a ‘loose wire’ (see report below) quickly corrected, were reloaded and the race began as normal, just two minutes late.

In the actual race, Ebasani, under jockey Conor McGovern, managed to break smartly, raced with the leaders and in the end improved to lead under two furlongs out before scoring a length and a quarter win over over Melanna

Following the race, winning trained Michael Halford stated “it’s a case of patience and we had our patience tested to the last! No better man for patience than (owner) Paul Rooney. If ever a horse deserved to win a race he did and we tried everything with him.

"When we bought him we thought he could be anything but we are where we are with him. Maybe the key to him is that he has found a level and that'll do his confidence good and we will progress from there."

The Stewards’ Report read:

‘The Stewards enquired into the false start to this race where the inside three stalls opened and the remainder of the stalls failed to open. Derek Cullen, Turf Club Starter, stated that the stalls had been checked prior to the arrival of the horses to the start and the electrical system was found to be in order. The horses were then loaded into stalls. Jason Grogan, H.R.I Stalls Technician in charge confirmed that the stalls were ready for use following a pre race trial but found that the problem arose when a contact wire had become loose when some horses became fractious in the stalls causing the structure to shake. The socket was tightened and the stalls worked at the second time of asking. Having considered all the evidence, the Stewards were of the opinion that the malfunction was caused by a mechanical failure and noted the explanations offered.’

By Tom Weekes, quotes from Michael Graham