Salisbury Result

Permission was given for Symbol of Hope (GB) to be led early to post wearing a red hood and be mounted on the chute.

An enquiry was held into the running and riding of Nordic Glory (IRE), ridden by Connor Planas and trained by Michael Attwater, which was slowly into stride and then appeared to become detached in the early stages with minimal assistance from the rider to recover or maintain his position, before being asked for its finishing effort from an unpromising position approximately 2½ furlongs out and staying on to finish sixth of six, beaten by 11½ lengths.

Planas and Attwater were interviewed and shown recordings of the race.

The Veterinary Officer reported that a post-race examination of Nordic Glory (IRE) failed to reveal any abnormalities.

Planas stated that his instructions were to take the gelding quietly down to the start and if they jumped well to potentially make the running, however, given the speed on paper in the race, ideally find cover and sit just behind the leaders.

Planas explained that Nordic Glory (IRE) jumped very awkwardly from the stalls and lost several lengths, a fact that he had reported at Scales, and thereafter he was focused on getting the gelding balanced and giving him the opportunity to travel into the race and as a consequence lost some additional ground in the first half of the race.

Attwater confirmed the instructions and explained that in his opinion Nordic Glory (IRE) had been upset by a horse in the adjacent stall being unruly during the loading process, and then forfeited a significant amount of ground through jumping awkwardly and becoming badly unbalanced.

Attwater further added that Nordic Glory (IRE) can be a difficult ride with a high-head carriage and a tendency to race freely and for those reasons, is not the type of horse you can chase along through the early stages.

Their explanations were noted.

Following the race, Ray Dawson reported that Symbol of Hope (GB), placed third, hung right-handed under pressure.