The trainer at the centre of the wrong winner fiasco at Yarmouth on Thursday has insisted there was “no collusion and no ulterior motive” behind the embarrassing chain of events that led to his horse winning the opening race.
Charlie McBride believed he had saddled the 50-1 shot Mandarin Princess before the first race of the day at the Norfolk track but it was in fact stablemate Millie’s Kiss who had been sent out, a three-year-old running against two-year-olds, and who passed the post in first place. Millie’s Kiss was due to run later on the same card in a race from which she was withdrawn by the Yarmouth stewards.
McBride, reflecting on the incident on Friday morning, said: “It was a complete accident. It was human error.”
The Newmarket handler’s horse, ridden by John Egan, beat the 4-6 favourite Fyre Cay in the six-furlong novice auction stakes and as the weigh-in had been announced, the result was allowed to stand but most bookmakers paid out on the first and second horses to have crossed the line.
The chief executive of the British Horseracing Authority, Nick Rust, confirmed there will be a full and thorough inquiry but said the incident appeared to be a “genuine mistake”. Rust said the introduction of further technology to reduce the risk of mistaken identity has been discussed but that it would “involve a seven-figure investment”.
He said: “We frequently hold inquires before races based on intelligence or betting information from the morning of the race. On this occasion, there were no suggestions of unusual betting patterns and there was no reason to be concerned.
“We have procedures on a raceday to try and ensure that this doesn’t happen. For example, all horses are microchipped – they have been since 1999 – and they are checked into the racecourse stables when they arrive. They are checked against the microchip to ensure the identity of the horse and are then allocated a specific box in the racecourse stables.
“Many of the runners are then checked. For instance if a horse is coming back after a long time off or perhaps they’ve changed trainers, our veterinary team and our equine welfare and integrity officers have a number of checks to undertake. The horses are then led out of the stables to go to the parade ring and it’s the responsibility of a trainer to make sure the correct horse turns up in a race. It is possible that the wrong horse can be brought into the parade ring.
“There’s a small risk of it. This is the first time it’s happened in the 18 years that we’ve had microchipping and the various other procedures that we have. We undertake a number of checks pre-race, in addition to the scan that happens in the racecourse stables. The judge will physically check over the horses and in this case, they were both chestnut fillies and they would have looked appropriate to the description of the horse to the eye.”
McBride accepted he was on “autopilot” and in a “mad rush” to saddle what he thought was Mandarin Princess. “I waiting for the saddle at 1pm in the weighing room,” he said. “John [Egan] weighed in 1lb over and was in the sauna, and that was why we were late trying to get the saddle. We put the saddle on in two minutes flat without even thinking it was the wrong horse. She looked sound and then we went straight to the parade ring, where I had 10 or 12 of her owners chatting away to me in the parade ring. I never even watched the filly go round [the parade ring] and then watched her canter away.
“When she won, everyone was euphoric and were hugging and kissing and chatting away to me. Even then it still didn’t occur to me it was the wrong filly. I was too engrossed with the owners, the press and the presentation of the trophy. Even her owners, who see her every week, didn’t even notice it was the wrong horse. When you’re in a mad rush like that, you go on autopilot – you go through the motions.”
McBride accepted full responsibility for the Yarmouth fiasco and is expecting to be fined by the BHA. “There is obviously no excuse for not recognising it was the wrong horse,” he said. “I know them both inside out and have ridden both horses. “Every trainer who has contacted me has wished me well and said it was just one of those unfortunate incidents that could have happened to anyone. I came over here as a 14-year-old and I’m now 66. I have been in racing all of my life so I’d be disappointed if I was banned for one mistake. I expect I will get fined but it was a human error – as simple as that.”
Friday’s best bets, by John O’Hara
Saturday is about the established stars in the King George at Ascot but Friday’s card at Ascot gives some of the young hopefuls a chance to make a name for themselves and Lady Momoka (1.40) should go well in the opener. The word is she has been working well at Newmarket and with Roger Varian’s yard in such terrific form she is the selection. For those who like to do forecasts the once-raced Inidicia is worth a close inspection after a very promising debut.
Varian could be in for a big day with his UAE King (2.45) likely to be a strong favourite for the Brown Jack Handicap. Silvestre De Sousa has the ride and off a mark of 90 the handicapper probably hasn’t got his measure yet.
The Listed Valiant Stakes looks pretty competitive and Mittens (3.20) is taken to complete her hat-trick. Sir Michael Stoute’s progressive filly has improved in leaps and bounds and although she has 11lb on the book to ins with Nathra, she will offset some of that by the fact she is race-fit and John Gosden’s filly is making her debut.
The nap is running in the Lyric Fillies Stakes at York on Friday evening. Rosental (7.30) has some very smart form and in a stable tour last week her trainer Luca Cumani said he had been frustrated at not getting the ground for his charge. Every time he found the right race, the ground was against them. She needs give underfoot and if it remains good ground she will go very well. Cumani said that whereever she runs she will be very competitive and is worthy of the nap on Friday evening.
Friday’s tips
Ascot 1.40 Lady Momoka 2.10 Mythical Magic 2.45 UAE King 3.20 Mittens 3.55 Appeared (nb) 4.25 Yalta 4.55 Intense Romance
Chepstow 5.50 Kareva 6.20 Characterized 6.50 Peach Melba 7.20 Diamochi 7.50 Seamster 8.20 Petrify 8.50 St Andrews
Newmarket 5.35 Midnight Whistler 6.10 Musaahim 6.40 Desert Mountain 7.10 Noble Manners 7.40 Street Marie 8.10 Pouvoir Magique 8.40 Yellowhammer
Thirsk 1.20 Rumshak 1.50 Akvavera 2.20 Juliet Capulet 2.55 Reinbeau Prince 3.30 Springforth 4.05 Oriental Lilly 4.35 Groupie 5.05 Mr Strutter
Uttoxeter 2.00 Nampararoo 2.30 Knight Commander 3.05 Deadly Move 3.40 Green Zone 4.15 Miss Spent 4.45 The Yank 5.15 Drumlynn
York 6.00 Breanski 6.30 Bogart 7.00 Laugh A Minute 7.30 Rosental (nap) 8.00 Calder Prince 8.30 Dakota Gold
