A RACING row that has rocked the sport has rumbled on further – with a trainer demanding he get his money back after other runners were given a head start.
Richard Fahey added to the complaints from a livid David Evans in how the 20-runner Epsom Dash was contested last Saturday.
Some horses were given a head start over others because their stalls opened first
Trainer Fahey said he should have got his money back after his horse wasn’t given a fair chanceGetty Images – Getty
A number of stalls drawn high near the stands-side rail opened later than those drawn low.
Footage clearly showed some horses jumping out while others remained behind the shut doors.
Evans, whose 11-1 chance Lihou finished last under Hollie Doyle, said the race should have been voided.
The horses drawn in the stalls affected all finished well down the field.
Fahey, whose 15-2 Vintage Clarets finished 14th from stall 19 under Oisin Murphy, said he should get his money back from the race for not being given a fair crack of the whip.
He told Sporting Life: “I thought it was extremely frustrating and for them to say it didn’t make a difference is beyond belief.
“I’m a big believer than you can give away weight but not a head start and we did give away a head start I’m afraid.
“I was shocked they didn’t give us our entry money back or something.
“I don’t want the race to be void but do I think I had a chance of winning the race? No I did not. End of story.
“In that situation there could be some rule that gives stewards discretion to call horses non runners, but I don’t know, there are too many rules as it is.
“I felt aggrieved for my owner. I think we ran the best of the horses affected.
“You miss a beat and you have to go quicker to catch up, so he ran really well.
“Five furlongs at Epsom is not a place to give a head start and get out of your comfort zone.
“The high numbers were short prices as the punters thought they were great draws, so the punters have missed out as well. It’s not satisfactory.”
Punters were left fuming over the ‘farcical’ start, although stewards decided on the day that the start did not ‘materially impact’ any horse’s chance of winning.
George Boughey’s 25-1 outsider Navello won – but bettors said the race was ’embarrassing’.
One said: “Hard to see how or why the stewards won’t void the Dash at Epsom. Four horses were beaten by the stalls.”
While another said the whole thing was ‘absolutely idiotic’.
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