Trainer 'gutted' after losing appeal against horse's controversial Classic demotion

Trainer Charlie Fellowes has been left "gutted" after losing an appeal against a controversial stewards' ruling which denied him a first Classic success. Shes Perfect, owned by a syndicate run by social media influencer Basher Watts, lined up in the French 1,000 Guineas.

The daughter of Sioux Nation and jockey Kieran Shoemark finished a nose in front of favourite Zarigana. But connections' joy turned to despair after the stewards judged Shes Perfect guilty of interference when she edged left into fourth home Exactly, who in turn bumped the fast-finishing Zarigana and reversed the placings of the front pair.

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Watts was seen celebrating wildly with syndicate members after the field crossed the line but minutes later the fairytale was over when the Longchamp stewards made their ruling.

Fellowes and Shoemark travelled to Paris on Tuesday to argue that the raceday stewards made the wrong decision and backed up their claims with new footage of the race, taken from behind and overhead..

They also highlighted Mickael Barzalona’s actions in the moments after he dropped his whip when he struck Zarigana 12 times with his bare hands.

France Galop’s disciplinary panel took all the evidence into account but rejected the appeal in their ruling published on Wednesday.

The panel blamed Shoemark for the interference, saying he had allowed Shes Perfect to lean for several strides in the last 350 metres of the race, and was more focussed on using his whip than preventing her move off a straight line.

This had caused Exactly, to his left, to become unbalanced and then in turn lean into Zarigana just as she was poised to deliver her challenge.

Exactly's jockey Ryan Moore provided written evidence which stated he had been carried off his line by interference from Shes Perfect and forced him to change his whip hand to avoid a collision.

“I didn’t really know what to expect, I think it was a really difficult decision to make,” Fellowes said. “You only have to look at the comments on social media, it really was 50-50. Some thought it was incredibly harsh and some thought it was a fair outcome.

“That was probably a fair reflection on the incident, the front-on camera looks awful but from the camera behind and overhead it looks as if she’s done very little. It was a very, very hard case and I’m sure it wasn’t a decision that was taken lightly.

“Obviously I’m absolutely gutted, it’s a very big deal for my yard. I’ve got 40 horses in and to win a Classic, a Group One, is huge for us and to have it taken away under these circumstances is difficult.

“In those Group Ones we just don’t seem to have much luck, you only have to go back to Prince Of Arran in his third attempt at the Melbourne Cup. It’s gutting, but I completely respect the decision and maybe there’ll be a rematch at Ascot in June.

“If I had a pound for every time someone has messaged me since last Sunday saying ‘at least you know you have a good filly on your hands’ I would be a very rich man!

“It is true, we’ve got a very talented filly and wherever she runs next she’s going to be one of the favourites for a big race. Whether that’s the Prix de Diane or the Coronation we haven’t decided, but she’s a filly to really look forward to for the rest of the season.

“It’s an amazing story and the ownership group are fantastic. She couldn’t have taken the race in France any better, she’s fresh and well and raring to go again.”