Massive racing debacle as winning horse disqualified after bosses find out it’s a different horse
A SHOCKING case of mistaken identity has been uncovered after it emerged the winning horse was actually the wrong horse.
It was thought Ano Manna was an easy winner at Killarney in Ireland on Saturday.
But it was soon discovered the horse punters thought was Ano Manna was actually a totally different one.
The ‘winning’ horse, according to Irish Racing, was Ano Manna’s stablemate Indigo Five.
Bang Po, who finished second, was named the winner at 10-1.
Punters simply could not believe what they had witnessed.
One said: “What an absolute shambles.”
Another wrote: “How on earth can this happen?”
Ano Manna was sent off 7-2 favourite for the mile handicap race on the Flat at 3.05pm.
Leigh Roche barely had to get to work inside the final furlong for a comfortable win.
But it was around about 20 minutes after the race finished that an objection to the result was lodged.
It has since emerged that Ano Manna – who is trained by John James Feane – was a different horse.
The matter has been complicated further by the fact bookies had paid out on the ‘winner’.
And that Ano Manna – the real one – had an excellent record at the track anyway.
The whole debacle was likened to a Dick Francis novel as punters blasted the total ‘s**t show’.
Ano Manna is a three-year-old bay filly with a white splash on her face.
Indigo Five is a four-year-old bay filly with a similar white mark on her face.
The latter was declared to run in the 5.20 at the track – but ended up winning the wrong race.
Steward Liam Walsh told Irish Racing: “Ano Manna never ran so it is declared a non-runner and from a betting point of view, is declared a non-runner.
“The enquiry is not over yet and we have to get through the nuts and bolts of the issue.
“It takes time to verify the sequence of events but once the events are established, the raceday stewards have the power to demote, disqualify or declare a horse a non-runner for a breach of these rules.
“Mr Feane came in and it transpires they saddled the wrong horse, so their other runner Indigo Five is now a non-runner as it already ran.”
Although it appears this was an innocent if unforgivable mix-up, it did remind punters of the infamous Flockton Grey case where a ringer for another horse won a race.
This is the second time in as many years that the wrong horse has been run in an Irish race.
Alizarine was disqualified from the 2021 Galway Festival after it was determined to be another called Aurora Princess.
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