Friday: Newmarket
Another two-year-old Group race featured interference and a stewards’ inquiry at Newmarket on Friday, but Mawj kept the race from runner-up Lezoo.
Mawj passed the post first in the Group 2 Duchess of Cambridge Stakes, half a length clear of Lezoo.
But the 4-1 winner, ridden by Ray Dawson, drifted in the latter stages and hampered Frankie Dettori’s mount, which started 15-8 favourite.
A stewards’ inquiry was called but the placings were not changed.
Dawson said: “There was interference and I was unaware Frankie was there until the last furlong, which was a little bit late.
“I was suspended for three days and that’s fair enough – we did drift across and you have to be punished for that.”
Outlining the incident in the inquiry itself, as shown on Racing TV, Dawson said: “I don’t know if it is the crowd or what it is but she’s slowly started to come over and she’s touched Frankie.
“When I’ve touched Frankie, she’s got a bit unbalanced as well. There is contact obviously but as Mr Dettori said, he didn’t have to stop riding.
“Looking at the replay, I probably could have been a little bit quicker to react to it, maybe. But he won going away on the line.”
It was the latest high-profile instance of a result’s standing despite interference taking place, causing criticism of the current rules.
Most notably Paul Hanagan was banned for ten days after The Ridler interfered with several rivals in the Group 2 Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot but his mount was allowed to keep the race, although an appeal has been lodged with a hearing pending.
2.25 Newmarket: full result and race replay
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