Gesture appeal fails, but next chapter opens at Curragh

Five-year-old Secret Gesture was first past the post in last month's race at Arlington Park, but was deemed to have interfered with third-placed Stephanie's Kitten. Although she crossed the line a length and a quarter ahead of runner-up Watsdachances, that filly was awarded the race and Secret Gesture was put back to third.

In a statement on behalf of Qatar Racing and Newsells Park Stud, the owners of Secret Gesture, David Redvers said: "Obviously we are disappointed at the verdict but we knew it would be difficult to overturn and we accept the outcome and move on. We felt the decision on the day was worth appealing against and there are no regrets. We would like to thank our solicitor, Karen Murphy, for all her efforts, and also the independent witnesses who came forward and spoke on our behalf, namely Steve Cauthen and Bernard Hettel.

"It's a shame, as winning the Beverly D would have been a fantastic endorsement for the decision to keep Secret Gesture in training and a measure of Ralph's skill in training her. And it would also have meant a lot for Jamie Spencer to have won another Group 1 in Qatar Racing's claret and gold colours, but it was not to be.

"Secret Gesture is likely to run again in either the [Gr.1] E P Taylor Stakes at Woodbine or the Fillies' and Mares' at the Breeders' Cup, and, fingers crossed, we hope she enjoys better luck next time."

Qatar Racing had better luck at an appeal in London this week, when the demotion of Simple Verse from the Gr.1 Ladbrokes St Leger was reversed.

Restive and Chapter Seven are the sole Qatar Racing runners today, and both are in action at the Curragh. Trainer Ger Lyons is convinced Restive will be a better three-year-old, and so it is a bonus that he has shown enough to merit a place in today's Gr.2 Juddmonte Beresford Stakes (15.55), in which he faces eight rivals.

Colin Keane rides Restive, and also partners his stablemate Chapter Seven in the Listed Loughbrown Stakes (17.35). "A stalwart" of Lyons' yard, the six-year-old won at Bellewstown recently over a mile and a half, and he heads into the unknown today when racing over two miles for the first time.