Olympiad (left) and Zafarqand locked together© Photo Healy Racing
There was controversy in the last at Gowran Park as the front two ran green and came together inside the final furlong. Olympiad had led entering the straight, under Pat Smullen, in the mile-and-a-half contest but was tackled by Zafarqand over a furlong out.
The Aga Khan colt ducked left inside the final furlong and when Johnny Murtagh straightened him up Olympiad drifted over on top of him.
6/4 favourite Zafarqand finished well in the closing stages to push his rival hard and there was only a nose to seperate them at the line.
The stewards had a lengthy look at the finish and decided to let the result stand.
"That's as good a four-year-old maiden that there's been in Ireland for some time," said trainer Dermot Weld in the winners enclosure immediately afterwards.
"Both horses ran a bit green and I'd expect the result to stand. He's a very nice horse and we'll see how he comes out of this before making any plans."
(GC & AM)
