Post-Race Drama: Galway Hurdle Reversal Sparks Debate

Vincent Finegan and Johnny Ward have praised the decision to reverse the result of the Galway Hurdle last week.

Helvic Dream was first past the post in one of the biggest races at Galway last Thursday but Ndaawi was promoted from second to first following a stewards' inquiry.

After a close race, the Noel Meade-trained Helvic Dream was determined to have made contact with Jack Kennedy's mount in the final 100 yards, leaving him little room against the rail.

Praise for the Stewards' Call

“For me, the big story was the reversal in the Galway Hurdle,” Johnny Ward explained on this week's Irish Angle show.

“I found that really intriguing. I actually think this was exactly what the call should be in a case of a close one like this.

“Absolutely, I can't for certain say that Ndaawi was the best horse on the day or that he should he would definitely have won the race without interference.

“I think if you went to a court of law, nobody could say for sure what would have happened.

“But in an incident like this, where it was a simple example of one jockey not taking corrective measures in the heat of battle, a real heat of the moment at the top level of sport.

“The jockey who was wronged against and the horse who was wronged against was Jack Kennedy and Ndaawi. Jack Kennedy could really do nothing at the time, only sit and suffer and do his best

“When there was a doubt then about a narrow defeat, I think the stewards absolutely made the right decision. They rewarded the jockey and the horse, who 100% did nothing wrong.

“I'm still not sure who would have won the race if both went straight, but I think this was absolutely the fair result, and I will 100% laude the stewards for that decision.”

'I can see why Noel Meade would feel a little bit aggrieved'

irishracing.com editor Vincent Finegan explained that he did not disagree with the decision on the day but questioned whether the result could have been called as a dead heat.

“The only thing I would say here is you talk about Jack Kennedy having to sit and suffer, he was sitting and suffering, and still using his whip the whole way up.

“You see in a lot of these things where they have to take evasive action. He didn't have to take evasive action. He was still riding a finish as well.

“We know that the horse on the outside, the Noel Meade horse, is leaning in. Fair enough. So it does impede his mount. But both jockeys kept riding all the way to the line. It was marginal enough in my view.

“I'm not saying that it shouldn't have been reversed. I think it was probably the right decision.

“But I can see why Noel Meade would feel a little bit aggrieved and decide to appeal it.

“It's toss a coin stuff and that's the problem with an awful lot of this.

“A dead heat in that instance in Galway would have been fantastic for the punters. You get two winners rather than one on the day.

“I know those stay-at-home punters are getting paid double results; it doesn't bother them, they win on both.

“But the ones on track don't and that's always a thing that's a bug bear as well.”