Brave stripped of Minstrel Stakes win Home Of The Brave has been stripped of his victory in the Minstrel Stakes at the Curragh in July after testing positive for a prohibited substance. Hugo Palmer's four-year-old ran out an impressive winner of the Group Three contest on the same weekend stablemate Covert Love secured Classic glory in the Irish Oaks. But the Turf Club has announced the four-year-old has now been disqualified after traces of hydroxydantrolene - used to treat a muscle strain - was found in a post-race sample. The Turf Club said it had not imposed any penalty over and above the disqualification following a hearing at which Palmer was present, with the trainer escaping a fine. "Hugo met all the requirements expected of him and the substance administered was recorded in his medical register," said the Turf Club's chief executive Denis Egan. "The panel were very impressed with Hugo, who clearly runs a very high-class operation. "He travelled over himself and the panel imposed no penalty, apart from the disqualification of the horse." Home Of The Brave's disqualification means second-past-the-post Gordon Lord Byron has being promoted to the number one spot, officially gaining his 13th career victory for Tom Hogan. Sovereign Debt has been placed second, Dark Emerald third and Ramone fourth.
