Ballycasey withdrawn from Plate© Photo Healy Racing
The stewards held an enquiry into the withdrawal of Ballycasey from the featured Galway Plate this evening at Ballybrit.
The gelding was withdrawn due to the change in going and his removal allowed stable-mate Patricks Park to line up in the €250,000 contest.
The following is the report from the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board:-
The Stewards enquired into the reason lodged by Mr Willie Mullins, trainer, for the withdrawal of his charge Ballycasey (change in going) from this race. Mr Mullins stated that Ballycasey was always considered to be a horse that ran his best races on good ground even though he had gained success on many different ground descriptions. He added that the animal had not won for over a year and consideration was now being given to running him in cross country races where the ground is generally good or thereabouts. In analysing the horses career he felt that as a young horse he handled all ground descriptions and ran very well in Graded company without winning a Grade 1 race, but in latter years the horse struggled in handicap company and had been competing in conditions races where he had run well without always running to his handicap mark. As a result the horse had dropped significantly down the handicap. In summary he felt that Ballycasey was suited by small fields of runners but competing on todays ground conditions with a large number of runners where he would encounter kickback was not suitable to him at this stage of his career. Mr Andrew Shaw, IHRB Senior National Hunt handicapper gave an assessment of the horses career where he referred to successes on all going descriptions, the majority being on soft or heavy ground. He added that Ballycasey had dropped significantly from a rating of 160 last year to todays mark of 147. Having considered all the evidence, the Stewards noted the explanation.
Regarding the withdrawal of Ballycasey Willie Mullins later said:-
“I was surprised to be called in and disappointed that we couldn't take him out here on the track.
“I was after sending someone up to walk the track and sent him in to the scales to withdraw him but wasn't allowed and had to go and ring some phone number.
“I can't understand why you can't take your horse out at the scales. I'm very disappointed and it's ridiculous actually that you can't take your horse out at the races on the day.
“I don't understand where racing is going when we just can't do things like that.
“When we seen all the rain we wanted to ask them to take him out and they couldn't so we hadd to go and ring some central number. I don't know whether it's bringing racing forward or back.
“It sounds ridiculous to me the rigmarole we had to go through today to take the horse out and withdrawnhim.
“Patricks Park was lucky to get in that we had a change of ground and the other horse was withdrawn.”
