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IF in doubt, take it out” is a phrase that you are advised to abide by in journalistic terms. The publication of something that cannot be fully backed up can have serious consequences. Caution can be key and there’s no real ‘cost’ involved in dropping a story.

However, applying that mantra - putting caution first - in a racing setting, in the case of last-minute withdrawals from big races, is likely to result in participants having wasted long hours and lots of expense.

The excellent weekend of racing at the Curragh was somewhat overshadowed when, on Monday we heard tales of two horses declared for the Irish 1000 Guineas. One who had travelled from England and one who had received plenty of ‘feel good’ media attention as she was a first classic runner for a young trainer.

Online comments by well informed judges led us to believe that the Danny McLoughlin-trained filly Magny Cours was subjected to extensive activity and scrutiny before she was allowed run in the 1000 Guineas. On a very hot day, those minutes of pre-race inspection were considered to have compromised her chances. Both Jane Mangan (in the parade ring) and Ruby Walsh (at the start), noted on RTE how she was sweating heavily. And this was a well-travelled filly who had been to Royal Ascot and Chantilly last season, having had eight previous runs.

Trainer Richard Hughes then went public on Monday in the Racing Post with his annoyance after his America Queen had been prevented from running in the Guineas by the IHRB veterinary team.

Leaving home

Hughes said: “She was perfectly sound leaving home or else I wouldn’t have sent her the whole way over. I was able to show up with evidence that the filly was not in danger. They didn’t even explain to me what I should do the next day if I brought her over. I had a full x-ray report and he spoke to my vet about her at length on the phone, as well.”

We have had some high profile late withdrawals worldwide in the last few years.

The Melbourne Cup has strict rules on horses being vetted. Aidan O’Brien’s Jan Brueghel was failed by the vets two years ago and the favourite Sir Delius was also forced out last year.

Going back over 10 years, I can recall an incident with trainer Sarah Bradstock who voiced great anger at her future Gold Cup winner Coneygree being withdrawn at the start at Plumpton.

Vets ruled that the seven-year-old showed signs of lameness at the start. It emerged that he was sound minutes later on his return to the stable.

Disgrace

She expressed her anger at the time: “It’s a total disgrace. I would not take any risk with a horse. I absolutely love them.

“Nico (de Boinville), who knows him and rode him, said there was nothing wrong. It’s not like Nico said ‘would you have a look at him please’.

“The vet said he was nodding his head. He was throwing his head because he has not been on a racecourse and he was excited! It’s what horses do.

“Our horses are so pampered and loved. We know them, we love them and they are sound. And this horse is still sound.”

It seemed fair comment and the horse came out 11 days later and won at Newbury. Is it not fine to trust the trainer?

More recently in the US, the Jessica Harrington-trained Givemethebeatboys was prevented from running in the Breeders’ Cup at the trot-up, leaving connections upset. Part owner Con Marnane said at the time: “He was moving like a ballet dancer, He should have been in Swan Lake!”

Last year, again, one of the favourites White Abarrio was taken out by the vets just before his Breeders’ Cup race.

White Abarrio had undergone extensive pre-race evaluation. In the days leading up to the Breeders’ Cup, he was reportedly subject to advanced veterinary scrutiny, including imaging and repeated soundness checks. By all accounts, he had been cleared to compete.

The disputed veterinary call has now become a legal battle in the US courts. The case is being made that White Abarrio’s gait had been observed throughout his career and repeatedly deemed acceptable by regulatory vets. It sounds similar to America Queen.

You can see how caution is required on welfare grounds, but if a horse is not judged to be lame after 10 or more minutes of examination, you would think it probably is sound and it should be the case that it be allowed run?

The ‘if in doubt, take it out’ has another layer of protection with a rider on board, all the way to the start and into the race, to pick up any changes in movement. Lame horses don’t win races. Viewers noted Oisin Murphy being notably quick to respond at Haydock on Friendly Soul and pull her up.

All in all, the incident put a bit of an unnecessary shadow over Sunday.

IT’S good to see lots of imagery promoting next week’s Derby at Epsom across the general media outlets in Britain.

There’s also been a lot of attention given to the improvements being made to the prize money and facilities. There should be more people in attendance next weekend and not before time.

With the race itself, it’s just that bit more difficult to make it appealing, even to racing buffs. The three-year-old contest you currently really want to see is the St James’s Palace Stakes.

It’s so rare these days for a horse with a bit of a ‘profile’, as in a Guineas runner, to line up at Epsom.

Benvenuto Cellini has been favourite for quite a while and the flashy chesnut reminds us older viewers back to the times of The Minstrel when this colouring was considered a big negative. Of course The Minstrel had also run in the Dewhurst and 2000 Guineas, an unlikely occurrence for a Derby runner nowadays.

When you are looking at all the famous and familiar names from the past winners, it’s hard to get too excited yet over this likely field.

And even some of the late developers such as the Gosdens’ Kempton winner Water To Wine or Owen Burrows’ Raaheeb, would have been intriguing runners but they are sitting it out.

Perhaps we will see a dazzling performance because the race needs it.

YOU are increasingly reminded at this time of year how worldwide flat racing is. And what a big part Irish breeding and racing plays in that global landscape.

Last Saturday, in Doomben, Australia, trainer Chris Waller’s 200th Group 1 winner was the Irish-bred son of Free Eagle named Birdman.

Take a trip over to Japan for their Derby to be run tomorrow and looking through the breeding, two names catch the eye. The well fancied Realize Sirius was sired by Jim Bolger’s 2000 Guineas winner Poetic Flare while the Irish 2000 Guineas winner Siskin is represented by Reichsadler.

However, I’d not be too keen to hear one runner come with a late run, the name Bereshit might raise the roof if Jerry Hannon was on the loudspeaker!