INTERESTING that Seeking Magic was disqualified and placed third after passing the post first in the six-furlong handicap at Goodwood last Friday after he had carried Huntsmans Close across to the far side of the track, but that Elusive Kate was allowed to keep the race after she had passed the post first in the 2013 Falmouth Stakes, despite the fact that she carried Sky Lantern across to the far side of the track.

I know we’re going back a bit, but there has been no material change in the rules since. No stated change anyway. Although stewards’ opinions may have been influenced by a few incidents in the intervening three years. There was a difference in the two cases, of course. In the Elusive Kate case, the runner-up was the sufferer. In the Seeking Magic case, Huntsmans Close was so badly interfered with that it allowed Go Far get up for second place. So Go Far was awarded the race, despite the fact that he was probably the third best horse in it on the day at the weights at best.