O’Grady winner disqualified

EDWARD O’Grady believes a “rogue” contamination is responsible for the prohibited substance found in the post-race sample of his recent Clonmel winner Nun’s Cross.

The bumper winner tested positive for caffeine and is the first horse of O’Grady’s to lose a race in such circumstances in his 45-year training career. At a Referrals Committee hearing this week O’Grady said he had no idea why the sample returned positive but he and his staff member Hugh Hurley noted that the shavings in the horse’s racecourse stable were discoloured and could have been contaminated.

Neither the Turf Club’s chief veterinary officer nor a scientist from the Irish Equine Centre could trace the source of the caffeine on a visit to O’Grady’s yard. The Referrals Committee waived the usual €1,000 fine as they were satisfied that the caffeine had been administered unknowingly. The race was awarded to Nicat’s Benefit, trained and ridden by Liz Lalor.

Minding heads Pretty Polly

THE seven-time Group 1 winner Minding is among 47 fillies entered for the Group 1 Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh on Sunday, July 2nd - a day after the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby.

Trained by Aidan O’Brien, Minding was successful in the race last year. She features among a strong Ballydoyle entry that includes Group 1 winners Alice Springs, Rhododendron and Seventh Heaven, winner of the Darley Irish Oaks last July. O’Brien is bidding to win the race for third successive year having also won with Diamondsandrubies in 2015. Dermot Weld, successful in this race with Chinese White in 2010, has entered his promising Naas maiden winner Tocco D’Amore, who cost €2 million as a yearling at the Goffs Orby Sale in 2015, and he has also entered Zhukova, successful at Cork on her reappearance earlier this month.

Journey, Queen’s Trust, Smart Call and Wuheida are other Group 1 winners entered for the 10-furlong race.

UAE publishes fixture list

THE 2018 Dubai World Cup will take place on Saturday, March 31st. It is the highlight of the UAE racing season. The season opens at Jebel Ali on Friday, November 3rd and the Dubai World Cup Carnival starts at Meydan on Thursday, January 11th.