Fines all round in Bumper farce
None of the five jockeys involved, almost certainly tied down by instructions from the trainers, wanted to make the running and they literally walked for several furlongs.
Luisa Williams, partnering Charlie Swan's newcomer, Premium Quality, did inject a little pace for a while, before they dropped back to a crawl again.
It really was most unedifying and, indeed, the only one to emerge with any credit was course commentator, Dessie Scahill. “I don't think they realise how far we have to travel home”, was his first quip. As they walked, over on the far side of the track, he came up with another nugget: “It could be dark before they get back.”
Eventually, they sprinted, if that's not too much of an exaggeration, from the turn in and it was Keelaghan who found the most to beat Fivestar Alstars a short head. It took a whopping five minutes, 10.9 seconds for the torture to end.
The stewards, in common with the vast majority watching the so-called race, were not best pleased and took swift action.
Williams, on the basis she made some sort of effort, was fined E300.
The other four pilots involved, Chris Cully, Andrew Lynch, Leonard Flynn and Colman Sweeney, were each fined 500. In Addition Cully, who rode the winner, was suspended for four racedays for using his whip with excessive frequency.
