LADIES Day at the Galway Festival got off to a dramatic start before racing even got underway, with Galway Hurdle gamble Petrol Head withdrawn by the directors of the IHRB after a positive sample emerged from his recent Bellewstown win.

A ready winner of his only two starts this year after a 708-day layoff, he had been as big as 16/1 overnight for the day-four feature before shortening up to as tight as 9/2 favourite prior to his withdrawal.

The positive test relates to his €50,000 Bia Energy Bellewstown Handicap Hurdle for trainer Katy Brown and owners the Orchard Garden Syndicate, though it is not the first time this horse has hit the headlines in relation to an IHRB investigation.

Petrol Head featured in Ronan McNally’s high-profile case with the regulators, having been disqualified for several runs due to concealment of ownership when listed as being trained by David Dunne in 2020 and 2021.

A statement released by the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board just after 12.30pm said: “Following notification from LGC Laboratories of a screening finding in a post-race sample taken from Petrol Head at Bellewstown on July 6, 2024, the IHRB immediately commenced an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the screening finding.

"At 11am on Thursday, August 1, the IHRB received confirmation from LGC Laboratories of the presence of a prohibited substance in the sample taken at Bellewstown. As a result of this confirmation of a prohibited substance and following the IHRB investigation into the matter, the directors of the IHRB have withdrawn Petrol Head from the Galway Hurdle under the provisions of Rule 21 of the Rules of the Racing.

“The IHRB will not be commenting any further on the matter until the disciplinary process is complete."

The €270,000 Guinness Galway Hurdle is due off at 5.05.