Richard Hughes did not hold back after America Queen was pulled out of the Irish 1,000 Guineas at the Curragh. Furious over the vets’ decision, the trainer admitted he was “disgusted” and even threatened to stop bringing horses to Ireland altogether.

Hughes believed the issue with the filly had already been addressed weeks earlier after the Nell Gwyn Stakes. According to the trainer, he had shared x-rays and veterinary reports with the Irish authorities beforehand.

The BHA had requested medical reports after America Queen showed an unusual action following her run in the Nell Gwyn Stakes at Newmarket last month, per The Sun. Despite the concerns, the filly still finished second by just a neck in the Group 3 contest. As such, Hughes believes that whatever issue the BHA suspected America Queen had had been assessed and managed.

But America Queen was still withdrawn on race day at the Curragh.

Hughes admitted that both he and America Queen’s owner, Jaber Abdullah, were livid. “This would, without a doubt, put me off bringing any horse back to Ireland, and it’s the same with Mr Jaber,” he said to Racing Post. “He has a lot of horses in training, and he’s not happy. He wants an explanation.

“If they can tell me a protocol for the next day, then at least I’d know where I’m going, and I’d know what to send or what not to send. They just left me hanging,” he added.

An opportunity squandered for America Queen

The filly was lined up for the Irish 1,000 Guineas as Hughes’ leading hope, but her bid ended before it even began. Hughes felt the vets did not listen to him, despite his repeated attempts to explain the situation. America Queen was ultimately deemed unfit to run.

That left Hughes feeling that a carefully prepared Classic chance had been taken away at the last moment.

It was an example of the tensions that can arise when race-day veterinary calls clash with a trainer’s assessment. Hughes, a former champion jockey who won three British Flat riding titles during his career, believes the sport’s welfare safeguards went too far in this case. Officials, however, felt they had to act.

If Hughes follows through with his boycott threat, it would be a major statement from a respected figure in both the weighing room and the training ranks.

The 2026 Irish 1,000 Guineas was eventually won by Precise, who bounced back from a disappointing run at Newmarket to give Aidan O’Brien another Classic victory at the Curragh.