Connections of Hughie Morrison’s Stay Alert have lodged an appeal against the decision of the Curragh stewards not to reverse the placings in Saturday’s Group 1 Pretty Polly Stakes.
The George Boughey-trained winner Via Sistina hung sharply right-handed down the Curragh straight and hampered a number of rivals when the pace began to quicken. Hughie Morrison's four-year-old was beaten two lengths into second on Saturday having been tightened up in the closing stages and the Summerdown Stables-based trainer believes the incident was crucial to the result.
He said: "The connections have appealed. As he [Spencer] pulled that horse out, it was hanging right.
"He then continued to ride it for possibly a furlong, and he didn't make any correction until he'd seriously endangered two horses and two jockeys.
"If they can tell me they didn't feel endangered, then end of story. It was hanging all the way and should have been corrected at least 100 metres before the incidents took place.
"When you get stopped in your run when you are quickening up and you have 100 yards to make up three lengths, you are lucky to make up one.
"Any other sport and you'd be thrown out, more so because the fourth horse [Rosscarbery] was prevented from coming third, which was quite significant when you are talking about a Group 1."
The Group 3 Legacy Cup winner made her reappearance when fifth in the Middleton at York in May but the daughter of Fastnet Rock left that well behind when runner-up in the first-time tongue-tie on Saturday afternoon.
Morrison added: "It helped her, made her concentrate and did everything we expected it to do. I don't think she has a wind issue; it just helped her concentrate on the job.
"She showed how good she is. She is in the Yorkshire Oaks and there are a couple of races in France. Those are in the middle of August – there is nothing else for her.
"She could go for a colts' race somewhere, that might be tempting, but you never know what the ground will be like in Germany, and you'd like to win a big race before you go to France.
"This was the target for her all year, so it was frustrating. We got everything right but hit the crossbar. We'd like to win a good one and we'd like a clean fight as well."
