Richard Hannon took a remarkable fourth Tattersalls Breeders Stakes in a row yesterday with Halland Park Girl but for punters it was the wrong Hannon horse than won and jockey Richard Hughes, who rode the favourite Ginola's Magic, was left fuming at the Curragh stewards.
Permission was sought by the Hannon camp for Ginola's Magic to enter the stalls last but in the absence of any official documentation that the horse was difficult, that was turned down.
Ginola's Magic was loaded first into stall one and got very restless before being taken out. With the others installed, Ginola's Magic was reloaded and was prominent to the two furlong pole before fading.
Halland Park Girl in contrast was drawn on the far side and under Dane O'Neill took the initiative inside the final two furlongs to lead home a British clean sweep. The Tatling was second with Trinculo third and Barrier Reef was best of the home team in fourth.
The focus afterwards, however, was on Ginola's Magic and the Hannon team's unhappiness with the stewards.
Hughes made his feelings about them clear and said: "I begged to go in last but they put me in first and the horse kicked the shite out of the stalls."
Richard Hannon Jnr, representing his father, added: "The horse can be very tricky in the gate. He's a Group horse and doesn't need to be messed about. We asked permission but they said we had no official documentation. Hughesie said he kicked the hell out of himself."
The officials defended their decision and senior stewards secretary Peter Matthews commented: "The horse had no record in England and there was no official Jockey Club warning that he is difficult.
"If he had an official record, we would have considered it but he was drawn one and it would have been unfair on the others in a 24 runner race to get special permission. We said he could be unloaded if he proved difficult and that's what happened."
Hughes was later interviewed regarding his conduct entering the weighroom after the race. The rider admitted his conduct was unprofessional and apologised but he was still fined £250 and cautioned.
It took the attention somewhat from the 5,000 Guineas purchase Halland Park Girl who gave O'Neill his third successive win in the race, the only three victories that Cork born O'Neill has had in Ireland.
Giant's Causeway justified 2/9 odds in the Group 3 Futurity with the minimum of fuss and could now go for either the National Stakes or the Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket.
"He's a smashing horse with a lovely laidback attitude. He was just hacking in the race and he is ready to step up now," said Aidan O'Brien who admitted he is likely to be represented by more than one runner in the National and the Dewhurst.
"It's quite possible. There are a lot of them there and it educates them for their three year old careers," he said. Fasliyev is a possible for the Dewhurst while Bernstein could go for the National Stakes.
Dermot Weld had a landmark success with Tiger Royal in the opening maiden as it gave him his 2,500th winner in Ireland and put him within reach of Senator JJ Parkinson's all time Irish record total of 2,577 set at the start of the century.
Weld later took the seven furlong handicap with the topweight Beckon The King while Richard Hughes ended the day on a high note with Scottish Memories, the easy winner of the concluding maiden.
