This is taken from the Guardian, what annoys me most is both the stewards acceptance of his frankly, wank explanation and Quinlan's reluctance to actually admit what he's done. He's weak for not standing up and explaining that if you have poor prize money for poor horses then this will happen!
All-weather racing's often unwarranted reputation as a formbook graveyard was shored up at Lingfield yesterday when the Newmarket brothers Mick and Noel Quinlan landed a double with Bishopbriggs and Tell Halaf in the final two races.
Neither horse had been well backed in the morning but suddenly the money came for both during the afternoon – Bishopbriggs won as 11-4 favourite, having been available at 12-1 just half an hour before the race, while Tell Halaf (7-1 into 9-4) was supported at the same time.
Adam Kirby rode both winners, with Bishopbriggs scoring in the colours of his father, Maurice.
Since winning under Kirby at Wolverhampton in January, Bishopbriggs had finished closer to last than first in all eight starts under other riders, often spoiling his chance with a slow start. He had been sent off at 50-1, 33-1 and 40-1 in his last three races.
Yesterday, with his favoured jockey back in the saddle, he leapt out of the starting stalls and was always to the fore before pulling clear to beat Yakama by four and a half lengths. Tell Halaf also won easily, albeit by just a cheeky half-length.
The stewards inquired into both results but accepted the explanations of Noel Quinlan that Bishopriggs had received "extensive treatment for a back problem" since his last run and that the stable had been under a cloud earlier in the year.
Quinlan, who admitted to having had a "very small" each-way double, said: "Our horses have been out of form but they're right again now and, when they're running like that, you've got to have a little go."
to them
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