Driefontein wins on protest
01/14/2012 07:22:43 AM
Sydney filly Driefontein won an action-packed Gold Coast Magic Millions Classic on Saturday after stewards dramatically upheld a protest against stablemate No Looking Back.
No Looking Back, ridden by Nash Rawiller, had taken a run along the fence from the top of the straight to overtake leader Driefontein.
But then No Looking Back began to veer out under pressure, hampering Driefontein, ridden by Nathan Berry.
Trainer of both horses Gai Waterhouse was put in a difficult position when the connections of Driefontein lodged a protest against No Looking Back in the last 100m.
Stewards deliberated for about five minutes before they called the connections back into the room and upheld the protest.
"It's our belief that had Driefontein been able to maintain her rightful running she would have won the race and therefore we uphold the protest," chief steward Wade Birch said.
Driefontein is Waterhouse's fourth winner of the Millions after Assertive Lad (2000), Excellerator (2001) and Dance Hero (2004).
It was jockey Berry's second consecutive Magic Millions win after his victory last year on Karuta Queen but for No Looking Back owners Luke and David Henderson the decision turned a dream result into a nightmare and cost them $840,000.
"Forget the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups, the race we always wanted to win was the Magic Millions and to lose this race is terribly disappointing," Luke Henderson, a Gold Coast Turf Club director, said.