Encosta gets result in stewards room after dramatic fillies handicap

There was a dramatic finish to the fillies handicap at Leopardstown with first past the post Mo Ghille Mar demoted and Encosta getting the result in the stewards' room.

Mo Ghille Mar came to challenge a furlong out under Keithen Kennedy in the ten furlong contest but drifted left under the whip causing interference to Encosta and in turn more seriously so to Enthralling

Mo Ghille Mar went on to grab the lead in the closing stages and held the challenge of Encosta by half a length at the finish but not surprisingly an enquiry was soon announced.

The stewards took the unusual step of demoting the winner behind Enthralling, who had been eased to finish sixth.

“I think it was a very fair decision and I would have been very disappointed if they didn't change it around,” said Encosta's trainer Noel Meade afterwards.

“I would have bet 1/20 that he would have got it and Colin (Keane) thought that after the race as well. You just can't knock the horse down and hope to get away with it. It was the right decision.

“She was coming back at him as well, she was almost on the ground and it's lucky no-one was hurt.”

On future plans he added:- “She'll obviously stay in handicaps and a mile-and-a-quarter seems well within her range.

“She used to not settle but settled a bit today, of course she had a good rider on her.

“She's in again at Roscommon on Monday but whether we think about going again or not we'll see, She'll have a 7lb penalty and might get 7 or 8lb for that.”

Keithen Kennedy was given a seven-day suspension for careless riding.