OWNER Tom Doran says he won’t have another horse in training on the flat in Ireland following this week’s decision by the Referrals Committee that he should pay €250 in costs for objecting to the result of a race at the Galway Festival.

Doran had queried the eligibility of Tarazani, who defeated the Doran-owned Ondamoura in a Galway handicap. The race was for horses rated 50-75 but Tarazani ran off a mark of 78 having had his rating raised 4lb after the initial entries were published.

It was only after the entries were published that the handicapping team reviewed Tarazani’s form and saw how well his maiden form had worked out. Last March he finished fourth at Cork in a race won by subsequent dual Derby winner Harzand. Runner-up Sword Fighter went on to win at Royal Ascot and the fourth, Qatari Hunter, won four races.

Tarazani’s mark of 74 left him eligible for the Galway race but the handicapper raised his mark to 78 before the weights were published and the horse carried a weight appropriate to that rating.

Doran argued that the winner was not qualified to run in the race by reason of having a rating in excess of 75 on the day of the race.

However, the Referrals Committee of Justice Tony Hunt, Sean Barry and Valerie Cooper held that the handicapper had acted within the rules.

Their judgement read: “A belated intervention in relation to a mark that is perceived as being too low is better than none at all. In this case, the intervention of the handicapper at least ensured that Tarazani carried 4lb more than if there had been no change to his rating and, although with the benefit of hindsight the extra weight was clearly insufficient to stop him winning the race, this situation was clearly fairer to all other competitors in the race than if there was no review at all.”

The objection was not upheld, the race result confirmed and costs of €250 were awarded against Doran.

A spokesman for the owner said: “Mr Doran is very disappointed with how he has been treated. He has been penalised for asking a valid question. The clear message is that you don’t ask questions where mistakes are made. Mr Doran won’t be having any more horses in training on the flat in Ireland.”