There was a controversial outcome to the featured paddypower.com Cork Grand National Handicap Chase at Cork today with the Tom Nagle trained Alickadoo promoted to first, having passed the post a short head behind Operation Houdini
Jubilant scenes followed the judge's announcement with Operation Houdini called first-past-the-post but the celebrations were short lived as an Enquiry was subsequently called.
In truth, neither horse deserved to lose after game efforts in the 3m4f contest but Alickadoo was hampered by Operation Houdini when Davy Fitzgerald's gelding jumped across Alickadoo at the second last, causing sufficient interference to reverse the placings.
Following the Stewards' Enquiry, the Stewards deemed the incident to have been accidental in nature but did suspend eventual winning rider Stephen Gray for two days and Sean Flanagan (rider of the runner-up) for three days, for using their whips with excessive frequency.
Alickadoo's win was a fitting reward for locally based Nagle, who was narrowly denied a win in last year's renewal with Aka Jake, while the win was the biggest todate in the career of talented 5lb claimer Gray.
Nagle later commented "Alickadoo has now won on all sorts of ground and is a tough sort. He had a screw inserted in his off fore knee as a 6yo and will now go for the Porterstown Chase at Fairyhouse next."
