Ruby Walsh described as "shambolic" the start to the 2:45 at Naas on Sunday.
Despite Shakeytry unseating rider Phillip Enright and subsequently impeding Sean Says and Aarons Day, starter Derek Cullen pulled the tape and allowed the race to begin.
It was won by favourite Capilano Bridge. Remarkably, despite being so badly hampered at the start, the Oliver McKiernan-trained Aarons Day managed to finish second.
A dramatic few minutes and a very controversial start at Naas.
Strong words here from Kevin O'Ryan and Ruby Walsh live at the track pic.twitter.com/Ms4lM5a4db— Racing TV (@RacingTV) January 31, 2021
"That should have been a false start," Walsh told Racing TV.
"Absolutely no doubt about it. It whips around with Phillip Enright, but the tape hadn’t gone up. There is no way on earth Derek Cullen (the starter) can start that race.
"If the tape had gone I can understand why it wouldn’t be [a false start], but it hadn’t. That’s a false start. That is shambolic.
"I feel sorry for Oliver McKiernan, and if you’ve backed the other horses (Shakeytry or Sean Says) I apologise to you.
"We saw at Punchestown last week there was a race started with one horse not even on the track, and now we see this today. How does that horse (Aarons Day) finish second, it's beyond me. That’s incredible."
Walsh later added: "The comedy of errors just keeps going on for the IHRB at the moment.".
Thought @irishkor and Ruby were brilliant on @RacingTV today. Top class punditry pic.twitter.com/ZGZ6qZGrEE
— O’Brien-McPherson Racing (@OBMRacing) January 31, 2021
See Also: Troy Parrott's Millwall Loan Cut Short With Another Move Confirmed
