Carberry missed out on a winner as a result when Denis O'Regan deputised for him on the Noel Meade-trained Zum See in the Tony O'Malley Memorial Handicap Chase and Carberry was also handed a three day ban, which comes into effect at Downpatrick next Sunday.

Denis Egan, the Turf Club's chief executive, explained: "The rule was brought in in May of this year but it's been in the pipeline for a while.

Friday was the fourth time we've tested every jockey riding in every race and we've done in the region of 150 jockeys at the three previous meetings before yesterday.

"When a jockey arrives at a meeting he is automatically screened by a testing officer at least 30 minutes prior to the first race by blowing on the AlcoBlow device. If the alcohol light shows amber or red the rider is informed that further confirmatory tests on the Alcometer are necessary. The rider is informed that he or she may have a representative present during these tests which will be commenced within 15 minutes of the notification."

The limit is a concentration of ethanol exceeding 35 micrograms per 100 mililitres in breath. Egan has yet to receive the results of Carberry's test but admitted he is the first jockey to test positive for alcohol. "It's just unfortunate that someone has tested positive and it's unfortunate for the rider concerned, " he said. "Hopefully this will be a warning to every rider and we won't have this problem again."

Meade was fully supportive of Carberry when the problem arose and quipped in the parade ring after Zum See won that "it's just as well they don't test trainers as well!"

Carberry's unfortunate mishap apart, the other talking points of this year's Galway Festival were the performances of Sir Frederick in Wednesday's William Hill Galway Plate and Farmer Brown in the following day's Guinness Galway Hurdle.

The summer may have been a washout for the rural community but the Gods certainly smiled on Farmer Brown, from the Pat Hughes stable, and he and thousands of beleaguered punters made hay while the sun shone at Ballybrit. Davy Russell's mount had been supported at fancy prices in the antepost market and was as high as 6/1 on course earlier in the day. Sent off the 9/2 favourite he scored by a comfortable two and a half lengths from English raider Freeloader.

Russell was having only his second ride in the race. "He travelled as sweet as a nut the whole way and it was easy in the end, " he said. Hughes was recording his second win in the race and said that "he had everything in his favour today and loves this ground."

Wednesday's feature was the William Hill Galway Plate, in which Dermot Weld's course specialist Ansar ran a blinder under top-weight to finish fourth behind the Liam Burke-trained winner Sir Frederick.

The winner was ridden by 3lb claimer Kevin Coleman."I thought about giving this horse a run in the build-up to today but he's better when fresh and so I resisted the temptation, " Burke said.