AN astonishing official foul up saw a horse win at Lingfield yesterday when it should have been withdrawn. Northern Trial won the Barnaby Rudge Claiming Stakes at 10-1 after the stewards ordered the horse's visor to be removed at the start an action which stewards' secretary Terence Brennan admitted was incorrect. The rules state that the horse should have been withdrawn.

The farce began with a break down in communications at Weatherbys who did not pass on the information to the Press and the Lingfield racecourse that trainer Karl Burke had declared Northern Trial to run in the headgear. Burke was at a Jockey Club inquiry yesterday and was fined £500 over an administration matter.

Brennan said "The judge (Jane Stickels) noticed the horse going to post in a visor and alerted us. We told the starter (Brian Reily) to remove the horse's visor. I freely admit that we advised him incorrectly as the rules state that if a horse goes to post in a visor which it is not declared to run in then the horse shall be withdrawn by the starter."

Brennan added that subsequent inquiries to Weatherbys confirmed that Burke had declared a visor for his eight year old. The matter has now been referred to the stewards of the Jockey Club.