DOOM MAY 18: DEAR DEMI SURVIVES PROTEST FROM GONDOKORO TO TAKE OUT THE ROSES
By Graham Potter | Monday, May 20, 2013
DOOMBEN MAY 18
Track - Dead 4. Rail - 1.5m 900m - 375m. True Remainder.
Hidden Dragon THE ROSES (Group 3) - 2000m.
1 Dear Demi; 2 Gondokoro; 3 Vaquera; 4 Magic In Motion.
Time 2-05.36. Last 600: 37.73.
Margins: 0.10; 0.40.
DAVID FOWLER’S RACE WRAP:
“Dear Demi was going to win clearly and then Gondokoro made a late dive but she just missed out.
“Dear Demi made light work of the wide barrier. The filly, who had the benchmark form (as the Victoria Oaks winner), proved too strong. She and the second placed Gondokoro both delivered good Oaks trials.
“With about 30m to go Dear Demi was at least a length in front but Gondokoro really savaged the line to go under by a short-head. The post came up just in time for Dear Demi.
“Third placed Vaquera ran a better race today with cover while the Queenslander Magic In Motion tried her heart out in fourth position.”
THE PROTEST:
Immediately after the race jockey Rhys McLeod asked to view the film to see if he had grounds to protest against the winner, Dear Demi. After doing so, McLeod alleged that he had suffered interference at the 1600m mark and he duly elected to formally protest the result.
THE HEARING:
RHYS MCLEOD (rider of Gondokoro):
“Approaching the mile I was racing to the inside of Luke Nolen’s horse (Dear Demi). He then shifted ground pushing Time Bell’s horse (Fantisha) onto mine. It’s taken my run. We’ve brushed the rail for probably 20m or so … checked, lost our ground because of the incident.
“Therefore we’ve lost two lengths in running, which means we’ve also got to gain two lengths later on during the rest of the race.
“We’ve been beaten a head. If I’m able to race that two lengths handier I think the result would definitely change.”
PAT CAREY (trainer of Gondokoro):
“I don’t think there is any doubt in my mind that the rightful winner of the race would have been Gondokoro. It’s clear to me that going out of the straight Dear Demi put some pressure onto the horse inside it who in turn puts pressure onto the horse next to it … and causes a reaction.
“I would think if we are talking a short-half-head and the way they finished … particularly the filly, the ground she made up in the run … I’ve got no doubt that without interference and the unsteadiness of what happened to her, she (Gondokoro) would have won the race.”
LUKE NOLEN (rider of Dear Demi):
“I think the film presents that my horse doesn’t get inside the three wide line. My horse does race ungenerously there for a couple of strides, but he doesn’t go inside the three wide line.
“I believe the result should stand.”
MR HARRIS (Spokesman for the Clarry Connors’ stable):
“I have to agree with Mr Nolen. There is slight interference there but, as Mr Nolen said, our filly didn’t leave the three wide line.
“My opinion is … I don’t think that My Carey’s horse would have been two lengths further forward. It would have been covered up still been in a rearward position with our filly covering extra ground.
“I think, being such a far distance from the finish line that the result wouldn’t have been any different.”
Jockey Tim Bell (the rider of Fantisha who was positioned between Dear Demi and Gondokoro at the time of the incident in question):
“As stated I was racing in-between both runners at that point.
“It got a little bit awkward. There was a little bit of drama up ahead also. There was a slight bit of pressure, but that was more onto my mount. I was racing up to the back of the runners in front of me. It did wander in a bit, but I was just a passenger at that point.
“I was racing one off the fence. I definitely didn’t get to the fence, but whether or not there was room there or not I couldn’t be sure.”
THE VERDICT:
The protest was dismissed!
PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Dear Demi): 4.40 in to 4.00.
Favourite (Express Power): 2.50 into 2.00 out to 2.50. (Finished seventh).
STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Connections advised that SOAPY STAR would be ridden further back in the field from the awkward barrier.
On return to scale, a protest was lodged by R. McLeod, rider of the 2nd placegetter, GONDOKORO, against DEAR DEMI being declared the winner alleging interference from the 1600m.
It was established that near the 1600m, GONDOKORO did have to be checked when tightened for room onto the running rail when racing to the inside of FANTISHA (T. Bell), which shifted in slightly. As stewards were of the opinion that DEAR DEMI (L. Nolen) remained 3 wide throughout this incident and did not apply pressure to FANTISHA, the protest was dismissed and correct weight was semaphored on the Judge's placings.
SOAPY STAR (N. Hall) got its head down as the start was effected and lost considerable ground. GONDOKORO (R. McLeod) was severely hampered at the start between WATERFORD (L. Innes) and VAQUERA (M. Rodd), which shifted out.
After passing the 1600m, NEVER DISPAIR (R. McMahon) shifted away from MAGIC IN MOTION (G. Colless) and made heavy contact with the running rail and lost ground.
At the same stage, KAZANLUK (D. Browne) also had to be checked after improving up on to the heels of FANTISHA (T. Bell). KAZANLUK then shifted out, severely hampering CATALONIA (M. Cahill).
Near the 1500m, EXPRESS POWER (J. Cassidy) had to be steadied when tightened for room between ZOMBIE DANCER (N. Evans) and GERMAYNE LASS (R. Wiggins), which shifted out around the heels of ANTARCTIC DREAM (P. Hammersley). R. Wiggins, rider of GERMAYNE LASS, was issued with a reprimand.
B. Evans, rider of ZOMBIE DANCER, pleaded guilty to a charge of careless riding, in that near the 1400m he permitted his mount to shift in when not clear of EXPRESS POWER (J. Cassidy), resulting in that horse being taken in on to DOLPHUS (C. Munce), resulting in that horse being severely checked. VAQUERA (M. Rodd), which was trailing, also had to be checked as a consequence.
B. Evans was suspended from riding in races for a period covered by 12 meetings, to commence at midnight, 19 May and to expire at midnight, 9 June. In determining penalty, stewards took into account the severity of the interference and the stature of the race.
KAZANLUK (D. Browne) over-raced in the middle stages.
Rounding the home turn, JUST AS COSMIC (Y. Ichikawa) was held up and unable to improve when awkwardly placed at the heels of FANTISHA (T. Bell).
Near the 300m, ZOMBIE DANCER (B. Evans) had to be steadied when tightened for room between MAGIC IN MOTION (G. Colless) and EXPRESS POWER (J. Cassidy), which shifted in under pressure. J. Cassidy, rider of EXPRESS POWER, was issue with a reprimand and advised to exercise greater care in similar circumstances.
Over the final stages, JUST AS COSMIC shifted in under pressure, resulting in SOAPY STAR (N. Hall) being taken inwards.
When asked to explain the disappointing performance of CATALONIA, M. Cahill stated that after he met with interference near the 1500m, his mount travelled comfortably in the middle stages, but when placed under pressure after passing the 500m, did not respond to his riding and soon after straightening he was not comfortable with the filly's action and he eased CATALONIA down in the home straight. A post-race veterinary examination of CATALONIA failed to reveal any significant abnormalities. Stewards will interview trainer L. Treloar regarding the matter.
A post race veterinary examination of EXPRESS POWER revealed the horse to be lame in the near foreleg. Connections were advised that a veterinary clearance would be required for EXPRESS POWER prior to its next race start.
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