Non-runner beats the bookmakers

Conflicting announcements about bets on second favourite Our Mica

(5-1) -- who burst out of the stalls -- caused backers and then

bookmakers to be up in arms.

With the stall broken, Jack Berry's gelding was left behind, and as

the field completed the race he was announced as having been ''withdrawn

under orders'' meaning backers had lost their money.

Just over five minutes later -- as most business had been completed in

the ring -- it was broadcast that Our Mica was now being ''deemed a

non-runner'' by starter John Leech.

Layers were now faced with refunding stakes and also having to stop

15p in the # on 12-1 winner Charity Express, but most bookmakers already

had paid out and successful punters had left the track.

Meanwhile, backers of Our Mica had left unaware that they were

entitled to their stakes back.

Course bookmakers reckoned they lost between #150 and #200 each on the

revised announcement.

The Stewards interviewed Leech and betting intelligence officer Trevor

Raynor, and are sending a confidential report to the Jockey Club.

Raynor said: ''This is the first time the new rule for the Flat

allowing starters to deem a horse a non-runner has occurred. Once I

realised what had happened, I dashed down to the weighing room to issue

a correction.''

Apprentice Paul Roberts, rider of Our Mica, saw the recall flag and

returned to the start only for the rest to go without him.

''He burst the stall open and that broke it,'' said Roberts.

Suragon, who finished third, broke a near-fore fetlock and pastern

strides after the post and had to be destroyed.

Refreshed from his first voluntary day off in four months, Frankie

Dettori was quickly back in the winning groove, firing a 25-1 double

with Post Impressionist and East Liberty.

Dettori was hauled before the Stewards after the vet claimed his whip

injured Post Impressionist. However, after having interviewed him and

trainer Jimmy Harris, they ruled he had not employed either unreasonable

force or frequency. They decided that the filly wealed easily and

neither jockey nor trainer was aware of the ''hyper-sensitivity'' of her

skin.

Willie Ryan, rider of the runner-up, was not so fortunate, being

cautioned about his future use of the whip after having swung it above

shoulder height, breaching the new Jockey Club instruction.

Meanwhile, Pat Eddery hit the 100 for the season with a lightning

strike at Yarmouth when his one ride, Dance Focus, came out on top in a

three-way photo for the EBF Medler Maiden Stakes.

''That's one of my fastest,'' said Eddery, before dashing off to

Sandown for last night's meeting.