‘Simple mistake’ costs O’Brien €2,000

ON Tuesday night at Galway the horse known as Mesopotamia was withdrawn by order of the stewards before the opening maiden hurdle. It subsequently transpired that he wasn’t in fact Mesopotamia at all, but a horse called Golden Grace, formerly trained in England by Ed Dunlop.

Both animals are in the care of Curragh handler, Michael O’Brien, who was fined €2,000 by the stewards. O’Brien has accepted responsibility for the error, which was picked up after a random microchip check by Turf Club officials.

“It was a simple mistake, made when we bought the two horses at Newmarket two years ago,” said O’Brien.

Golden Grace ran twice as Mesopotamia, finishing second to What’s Up Doc at Limerick and to Line Ball at Punchestown. The actual Mesopotamia was trained on the flat by Aidan O’Brien and won a maiden for him at the Curragh. He has yet to run for Michael O’Brien.