Pretty Polly appeal set for Tuesday

THE appeal lodged by connections of Pretty Polly Stakes runner-up Stay Alert will be heard on Tuesday.

Via Sistina won last Saturday’s Group 1 race at the Curragh for trainer George Boughey and jockey Jamie Spencer but the winning rider picked up a six-day ban for careless riding.

However, the stewards were of the opinion that while Via Sistina had caused interference to the fourth-placed Rosscarbery in the closing stages, she did not improve her finishing position as a result of the interference so no alteration was made to the placings.

Second-placed Stay Alert, ridden by Ronan Whelan and owned by Ben and Sir Martyn Arbib, was positioned on Rosscarbery’s right and also got squeezed up. She was two lengths behind the winner at the line.

Her trainer Hughie Morrison told The Irish Field: “I believe it’s a professional foul. I think the winner was hanging from the moment she was pulled out in the straight and there was time there for Jamie to correct her and take action before the incident.

“I understand why our owners are disappointed. There was a perfect gap that Stay Alert was running into and it was closed from the outside because a horse was ridden in such a way that they didn’t run straight.”

Spencer has also appealed against the severity of his suspension.

Michael Ronayne passes away

FORMER trainer Michael Ronayne passed away peacefully on Thursday in Dungarvan Community Hospital, Co Waterford. In 2013 he bought Moon Racer as an unbroken store for €5,000 and trained him to win the €100,000 Tattersalls Ireland George Mernagh Bumper first time out in 2014 at Fairyhouse. The horse was subsequently sold for £225,000 and won the Grade 1 Cheltenham Festival Bumper in 2015 and also won at Grade 2 level over hurdles.

Michael is survived by his wife Joan and their four children. His funeral mass is at 11am today [Saturday] in St Mary’s Parish Church, Dungarvan.

Bahrain enhances Leopardstown link

BAHRAIN Turf Club has strengthened its links with Leopardstown by sponsoring five more races at the track between now and October, with the winners granted automatic eligibility for the valuable Bahrain Turf Series next winter.

The series expands Bahrain’s existing sponsorship portfolio in Ireland, which is headlined by the Group 1 Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes and the Group 3 Bahrain Turf Club Desmond Stakes, both run at Leopardstown. The five races added to the Kingdom’s sponsorship portfolio are four handicaps, including the €40,000 October Handicap, and the Listed Knockaire Stakes.