Collins is cleared

RACING: Any disciplinary action on the back of the "early start" race at the Galway Festival will be kept in-house after the Turf Club's hearing into the matter yesterday. An Appeals and Referrals Committee meeting found that Peter McGouran, the starter for the Guinness Handicap on July 29th, which started five minutes early, was in breach of Rule 272 but cleared the clerk of the course, Joe Collins of any blame.

The committee referred the matter "to be dealt with under the internal Turf Club disciplinary procedures" but they regarded the matter as "very serious" and the consequences were predjudical to racing.

Another hearing yesterday resulted in jockey Davy Condon getting a three-day ban for failing to make the weight on Miss Master at the Curragh last Sunday.

The Posh Paddy was thrown out of first place in a Galway Festival maiden hurdle after testing positive for phenylbutazone. The horse's trainer Tony Mullins was cleared of blame and received the minimum €130 fine.