There was a definite sense of anti-climax at this afternoon's Gowran Park meeting as the fixture was abandoned after just two races.
Some of the senior jockeys were concerned about the state of the track beforehand and the problem came to a head when two horses came to grief in the 1m handicap. The Helen Keohane-ridden Libras Child slipped-up after two furlongs whilst Home Force stumbled and unseated Tadgh O'Shea.
A deputation of senior jockeys duly met with the stewards and after consulting with the Clerk of Course, it was decided to abandon the meeting in the interests of safety.
It was the Tony Mullins-trained Definite Best which eventually won this race with Dave Condon.
A winner at Down Royal on Friday evening, Definite Best defied a mandatory 5 lb penalty in beating Hiawatha by a length and she was credited Condon with his 7th winner of the season.
' She is entered in a few handicaps this week, but there is also a 4-y-o maiden hurdle at Bellewstown on July 4th for her, ' said Mullins of Bernie Gaffney's homebred.
Aidan O'Brien failed to saddle a winner at Royal Ascot, but the Ballydoyle handler got back into the winning groove when Go For Gold made a winning debut in the opening 2yo maiden. A Machiavellian half-brother to Milan, Go For Gold responded to Seamie Heffernan's urgings to head the front-running Caparo in the dying strides, a short head separating the pair.
At Navan meanwhile, Barry Geraghty continued his excellent year by guiding Mirpour to victory for south Kilkenny trainer Eoin Griffin in the opening Ladbrokes Novice Hurdle.
Meanwhile, Oliver Brady, Monaghan's sole licensed trainer, was on the mark when Flint Knapper recorded a last gasp victory over Columba with Martin Mooney in the Ladbrokes Hurdle.
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