Aston Martini reinstated as Lingfield winner

Aston Martini has been reinstated as winner of the Weatherbys Digital Solutions Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at Lingfield, after stewards demoted the mare on the day for interference.

Lingfield Park Racecourse.
Lingfield Park Racecourse. Picture: PA Images

The Nicky J. Henderson-trained mare joined rival Ooh Betty on the run-in and edged left as the pair battled all the way to the line. She finished a nose ahead of Ben Clarke's Ooh Betty, and the race-day stewards made the decision to reverse the placings on the basis of interference.

Nicky Henderson appealed the result with British Horseracing Authority's independent disciplinary panel, and the committee found in favour of Aston Martini .

"It's never nice to put in an appeal and a lot of thought went behind it, we thought on the day it was a harsh decision against the filly to have the race taken off her," said Liz Rutter, from owners HP Racing.

"They have looked at it fairly, of course there's prize money there but that wasn't the motivation behind it and I'm sure Nicky Henderson felt the same.

"She's a beautiful, big filly who is still very green, she's learning a lot and she deserved to be three from three, so it's great she's maintained that record.

"I do feel very sorry for the connections on the other side, it's never an easy way to sort these things out but I am hugely relieved that there was a fair outcome.

"I think both mares ran great races and I'm sure they will both go on again, it's onwards and upwards."


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