The Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham got underway on Thursday despite one horse facing the wrong direction. Punters were left seething after Maughreen, trained by Willie Mullins, wasn’t given any extra time to get ready after turning the opposite way seconds before the race got underway.
Instead, the horse, ridden by Paul Mullins, had to make a 360-degree turn. The 66-1 outsider eventually came in sixth, but the poor start all but ruined hopes of being placed. The race was won by the Gavin Cromwell-trained Sixandahalf from Diva Luna and Air of Entitlement.
It’s not the first controversial race start this week. And fans have online have reacted angrily, with @OTTR_Elliot writing on X: « These starts are an absolute joke @BHAStewards. MAUGHREEN the latest to have her race totally ruined. Starter has let them go while she was facing the wrong way. It is an embarrassment!! »
@MBonser98 added: « I’m sorry but this starter at Cheltenham is literally ruining the week. What was that? Maughreen turned the wrong way and he’s let them go. Needs P45 in the post. »
Sure enough, the incident prompted widespread calls for the removal of lead starter Robbie Supple. He’s since been interviewed on ITV Racing and defended the dubious start, claiming the horse turned at the wrong moment, having previously been ready to go prematurely.
« The fact is, we can’t start the race until it’s the correct time, » he said. « So when there’s a big field of horses they’ve got to go back far enough and the idea is when they reach us it’s the correct time.
« We’re trying to be fair to everybody. In our opinion, we’ve had fair starts this week. Ok, maybe not every horse has got as good a start as they’ve wanted but it’s fairer to have them strung out in a straight line rather than the ones on the inside having a couple of lengths on the others. »
Supple is now in his 22nd year as a starter with the British Horse Racing Authority. Last year, the Irishman got the Aintree Grand National underway for the tenth time, having previously rode in it six times, finishing third in 2000.
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