Shark to appeal Dial-A-Bet decision
The two fought out a tremendous finish to the Grade 1 feature, along with favourite Arvika Ligeonniere, with Benefficient appearing to hamper Hidden Cyclone in the closing stages.
The stewards deliberated over the result, but ruled the placings should remain unaltered.
Hanlon feels it was the wrong call. “I’m very disappointed. I thought we’d get it in the stewards’ room.
“It took them half an hour to make up their minds and, in my opinion, we should have been awarded the race.
“He’s been beaten three-quarters of a length and I think when you have to go around another horse like that, it costs you two lengths.
“I’ve no doubt if the two horses had run straight to the line our horse would have been in front and a lot of people in Leopardstown agreed with me.
“We’re definitely going to appeal and it’s a shame it ended like that as it was a super run from the horse.
“We’ll look at Cheltenham in March, maybe with one run between now and then.”
