THERE have been three high-profile incidents in Britain of late in which the horse who passes the post in third place has been the main sufferer of interference, and that horse has not been awarded the race.

There was the Seeking Magic case at Goodwood in May, when Seeking Magic carried Huntsmans Close across the track and passed the post first, but allowed Go Far up in the stands side to finish second to him.

Huntsmans Close passed the post in third place, was awarded second place as Seeking Magic was placed behind him, but still didn’t get the race. At Royal Ascot in June, in the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes, Kinema veered across the track, took Kings Fete’s ground and his potential chance of winning, but the stewards took no action, a decision that was probably influenced by the fact that Elite Army was second past the post, in front of Kings Fete, behind Kinema.

Then last Friday at Ascot, in the listed one-mile fillies’ race, Namhroodah moved to her right as Irish Rookie challenged on her inside, taking her ground.

The stewards demoted Namhroodah, deeming that she cost Irish Rookie her chance of winning, but, because Red Box had got up on the near side to be second past the post, she was the main beneficiary, she was awarded the race, while Irish Rookie was only awarded the runner-up spot.

There is something wrong when the horse who was probably no better than the second best horse in the race, possibly the third best horse in the race, goes home with the prize, and when the best horse in the race, the horse for whom the rule in is place, can’t be deemed the winner.