Farcical start ‘a disgrace’, says de Bromhead

The starting of races in Ireland, which has long been a bone of contention, reached farcical proportions for the opening Maiden Hurdle at Tramore yesterday.

Initially, there was a false start and then, with everything apparently in order, the tape subsequently failed to come back when the starter, Pat Malone, pushed the relevant button.

But it got worse. Malone finally got them away, but seemed blissfully unaware that the favourite, Henry de Bromhead’s Wilde Sapphire, was facing the wrong way.