FROM BEING AN EMERGENCY, TO WINNING BOTH ON THE TRACK & IN THE STEWARD'S ROOM - IT WAS QUITE A RIDE

By Graham Potter | Tuesday, October 19, 2021

The lightly raced five-year-old gelding Bearnas, whose price doubled during the pre-race betting … drifting from an opening call of $13 to $26 … made a mockery of his odds when beating the $2.50 favourite Boom By By in a rousing finish by the narrowest of margins in a Maiden Handicap over 1210m at Toowoomba, to the absolute delight of his connections.

The race was part of a five race meeting which was carried over from the usual Saturday night meeting at Toowoomba when that meeting was brought to an abrupt and controversial halt sparked firstly by a delay caused by lighting issues which then, in turn, led to an, at times, heated ‘debate’ about the late hour the meeting would finish and some perceived safety issues associated with that.

Apprentice Bella Rabjones pushed Bearnas, who was an emergency acceptor for the race, out strongly at the break looking for the lead and she duly found it and Bearnas took the field down the back straight, hugging the rail and saving every inch of ground.

With runners bunched just off Bearnas’s hindquarters, Rabjones continued to dictate matters from the front in confident fashion all the way to the home turn. At that stage the well-fancied Boom By By was four lengths back in the pack, but was also saving ground on the turn.

The mare Whistle Hoff ($7) was the first to seriously threaten Bearnas. She all but got right alongside Bearnas before the Michael Nolan runner managed to shrug her off but, meantime, Boom By By was finishing hard. The favourite had moved slightly off the rail at the 150m and then switched back in before charging late, but Bearnas never stopped fighting and he held on to a well-deserved win, albeit by a fast-diminishing margin.

But the story did not end there.

The final outcome of the race was decided in the Stewards’ Room after a ‘second v first’ protest was lodged … as reported in the official stewards’ report which states:

‘Prior to the declaration of correct weight stewards considered an objection lodged by apprentice J. Cornish (BOOM BY BY) alleging interference against the winner (BEARNAS) in the home straight. After hearing submission from connections, it was established that near the 100m, BOOM BY BY which was attempting to obtain a narrow run to the inside of WHISTLE HOFF, was forced to shift in to obtain clear running when BEARNAS shift out. After considering the objection, stewards were of the opinion that BEARNAS was sufficiently clear of BOOM BY BY when crossing its line of running, and as a result played no part in BOOM BY BY having to obtain clear running. Giving consideration to the above, as well as the way the horses finished off the race and the official margin, Stewards subsequently dismissed the objection.’

So, having to win the race twice … on the track and in the stewards’ room … it was a happy ending for the Michael Nolan team with Bearnas now having his first win on the board, coming in his fourth career start.

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