Capricho, an 11-1 chance, crossed the line for a photo finish with 5-1 favourite Mine in a thrilling race.

But when Capricho's jockey Richard Quinn weighed-in he was found to be nine pounds light after trainer Jon Akehurst forgot to insert the weight-cloth in the saddle before the race.

Quinn weighed in at 8st 13lb mark, well short of the 9st 8lb that Capricho had been set to carry and Mine was awarded the win.

Akehurst, who trains Capricho and won the Wokingham Handicap at Royal Ascot with him last month, was quick to accept the blame and was fined �1,500.

He said: "It's completely my fault and I've got to hold my hands up.

"I've gone into the box to saddle him up and he's absolutely bouncing, he's nearly killed us and I've left the weight-cloth out of his saddle.

"My travelling head lad found it when I went back into the box and I came straight into the weighing room to tell them but it was too late.

"I've just got to try and pacify the owner now but obviously it looks like he wouldn't have won if he'd have carried the extra weight."

Owner Roger Kilby, of Canisbay Bloodstock, said: "I suppose the ground was right against us anyway and it wasn't meant to be.

"It's hard to describe how I'm feeling but 'c'est la vie'."

Mine's trainer James Bethell was obviously delighted with the final outcome.

He said: "I've been through a lot of things in my life but I've never known anything like this."

Race sponsors Ladbrokes later announced that they would refund all stake money placed on Capricho.