Racegoers were left rubbing their eyes in disbelief when Perugino Diamond won in a photo finish for yesterday's £20,000 Murphys Handicap Hurdle at Killarney.
After David Casey's mount flashed past the post along with Gift Token, the majority opinion in the stands, and certainly among those watching on the close-circuit television, was that Gift Token had just won.
So much so that the bookies initially offered 6 to 1 about Perugino Diamond getting the photo. The shrewdies, however, remembered the previous night when the stands' side had won in a photo.
'I was certain we'd been beaten,' said Perugino Diamond's trainer, Seamus O'Farrell, despite Casey's report: 'My first impression was that we'd won.'
The short-head verdict did indeed favour Perugino Diamond, who was returning to form and holds an entry in the Galway Hurdle. Paul Carberry, on the runner-up, did well to get down to 9st 10lb but did put up 2lb overweight.
Half an hour later it all happened again as At His Best and Barr Na Sraide finished locked together in the mile handicap. Again the horse on the far side, At His Best, appeared to just get the verdict but nobody was falling for the evidence of their eyes this time.
A 15-minute wait included a call for a print and eventually the race was declared a dead heat.
'This side wins it!' shouted one worthy after Peru Girl sluiced up by six lengths in the following mile handicap, but things were much more in doubt in the five-runner novice chase. The favourite, Beacon Lane, crashed at the fifth last and badly hampered his market rival, Twilight Buck. Donickmore and Duky River tried to make the most of their opportunity but Barry Geraghty patiently allowed Twilight Buck recover and then drove him clear from the last.
'I'm disappointed he had to get such a hard race. It's not ideal if you're preparing a horse for Galway,' said trainer Pat Fahy.
Another Galway possible is Francis Bay, who took the handicap chase snugly.
'I'm not used to this - two winners in two days!' smiled Paddy Prendergast after the favourite, Moll Hackabout, took the Jack Sheedy Ladies Race under 26-year-old Liz Doyle, daughter of Fine Gael politician Avril Doyle.
