After a week of high drama on the track, the decision by the stewards to void a Qualified Rider’s event at Killarney last Thursday has provided no small amount of food for thought.

The decision to void the race centred around the ‘winner’ Stars Over The Sea. He was led into the start, hit the tape at a canter and was up and running before many of his rivals had found their stride.

However, for all the talk that Stars Over The Sea gained an advantage over his rivals, he was no more than two and a half lengths ahead of his closest rival as he turned out of the back straight for the first time. Furthermore, there seemed to be no urgency amongst his rivals to cut back his advantage in the early stages.

Some twenty minutes after the race was over it was declared void with the stewards deeming that a fair start had not been effected. This decision has set the most dangerous of precedents as there have been many other examples in the past of what could be generously termed ragged starts and yet nothing was done on those occasions.

Surely this decision leaves the door open for voided races to become much more common if similar is to be applied in future.

GALWAY FESTIVAL

All eyes will be on Galway next week as the seven-day summer spectacular gets underway on Monday. At this stage the standout contenders for the showpiece events aren’t all that obvious but one horse to keep in mind is Timiyan who may be poised to end a series of near misses in the Galway Hurdle for Gordon Elliott.

Across the Irish Sea Aidan O’Brien is sure to be well represented at Goodwood where huge interest will accompany Churchill’s bid for the Sussex Stakes. The dual Guineas winner was below his best when meeting with defeat at Royal Ascot and now he has to square off against older opposition for the first time.