ONE of Friday’s leading fancies has been stopped from running at Newmarket after accidentally receiving medication meant for another horse.
Trained by George Boughey, Soprano made a winning debut at Newmarket in May and ran a huge race to finish third in the Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot.
George Boughey is the trainer of Soprano
She was towards the top of the market for today’s Group 2 Duchess Of Cambridge Stakes but a costly blunder has prevented her from taking her chance.
Soprano was given ulcer medication meant for a similar-looking horse and the likelihood of a positive post-race test meant connections had to pull the plug.
The ulcer medication can be given to horses, but as it contains banned substances for raceday, Boughey had no choice but to remove her once the error was spotted.
Speaking to Racing Post, the owner Highclere’s managing director Harry Herbert said: “It’s one of these unfortunate scenarios as she was given a dose of medication accidentally.
“I believe it was given to her rather than another chestnut filly in the neighbouring box to her. It is nothing that will cause her any harm – I think it was GastroGard or something similar – but she cannot run.
“It’s simply a staffing error on this occasion. It’s embarrassing for George and it’s a shocker for the filly’s shareholders, but we have to turn the page and move on.”
Herbert’s Highclere team have had plenty of success with their runners at Boughey’s yard.
Catchet provided Boughey and the owners with Classic glory in the shape of the 1,000 Guineas last year.
Herbert added: “It’s a first for me in my time doing this, something like 30 years now, and I have to say the owners have been remarkably good in their response to this as they’ve gone from having the second favourite in a Group 2 at Newmarket to not being able to run.”
Boughey is on the 58-winner mark for the year, following on from a 136-winner campaign in 2022.
He trained his second Group 1 winner earlier this month with Via Sistina winning the Pretty Polly Stakes at The Curragh.
