Tested (right) and Sovereign Debt come close© Photo Healy Racing
English raider Sovereign Debt won the day in the stewards room after a dramatic finish to the Concorde Stakes at Tipperary. Tested was narrowly first past the post in the Group Three contest but the placings of the first two were reversed after Dermot Weld's filly drifted right in the closing stages and carried her rival with her.
Tested had hit the front two furlongs out in the seven furlong contest but was chased down inside the final furlong by Sovereign Debt and Declan McDonogh.
She held on by short-head at the line but veered off a straight line and bumped Dandy Nicholls' raider in the closing stages.
The stewards deemed that there was enough interference to change the placings. Declan McDonogh stepped in for the winning ride with Kieren Fallon encountering travel problems.
"It was a fair decision as he gave us a bump and carried us across the track a bit," said Nicholls.
"He's a tough horse but has had a lot of different jockeys, the poor horse! (It would be better) if someone would commit to riding him maybe when he comes to Ireland and ride him all the time.
"He loves a bit of juice and we've stayed over for the last two days and it seems tacky on the back straight. I'll speak to Lady O'Reilly and see what she wants to do. The fast ground at Dubai might probably break him - we like the Irish air!"
"Kieren got stuck on the boat coming over due to an electrical fault. He's in Ireland but got delayed coming here."
(Quotes by Thomas Weekes)
