The opening Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden at Gowran today saw Aidan O’Brien’s 4/11 favourite survive a dramatic swerve, late-on, and a subsequent Stewards’ Enquiry to provide jockey Johnny Murtagh with his 59th winner of the year.
Murtagh’s mount held a narrow lead when swerving sharply left a furlong out, badly bumping eventual fifth placed The Reaper while also hampering runner-up Cannon Hill and third placed File And Paint Murtagh, who did well to stay in the saddle, lost his left iron in the incident but managed to straighten Treasure Beach up before passing the post half a length ahead of Cannon Hill.
As the Stewards Enquiry was held, Treasure Beach traded around 1.5 (1/2) to hold the race on one betting exchange and the Stewards subsequently made no alteration to the result.
O’Brien was not present for the win.
