Minor protest by chief steward upheld

By Mathew Toogood

In the aftermath of an eventful staying race at Canterbury, Racing NSW chief steward Ray Murrihy fired in a successful protest on behalf of the connections of the sixth placegetter.

Tigress Lily raced to a comprehensive win in Saturday's Sirecam Handicap (1900m) but it was the actions of eventual fifth placegetter Bielski on the home turn that drew the attention of Murrihy.

Bielski over-reacted to Tigress Lily angling out into a gap and the Matthew Smith-trained runner veered out sharply across the track and into the path of favourite Mangaroa Flyer, who lost around four lengths before eventually finishing sixth.

With the margin only a length between fifth-placed Bielski and Mangaroa Flyer at the finish, Murrihy lodged an objection, sixth against fifth.

The prize for fifth place was $1800 with sixth receiving $1000.

Murrihy excused himself from the protest hearing with the objection upheld by the panel headed by deputy chief steward Greg Rudolph.

Murrihy said he had only lodged objections eight or 10 times during his 40-year career.

"In Australia it's not usually a practice stewards do," Murrihy said.

"But in a situation like that where there was mayhem on the turn, it's only $800 for connections but if it can be corrected before correct weight then why not?"

Stewards were satisfied there was no contact from Shinn's mount and that Bielski over-reacted.

Earlier, Bielski's jockey Glyn Schofield had dominated on the track with three winners while Blake Shinn's victory on Tigress Lily gave him a double.

He also partnered three-year-old Fontelina to a half-head success in the Acend Sale Trophies Handicap (1200m).

Schofield's treble bridged the gap to premiership leader Hugh Bowman to six at the half-way mark of the season.

Schofield opened the day by combining with Chris Waller for a race-to-race double aboard three-year-old Nocturnelle and two-year-old Jade Marauder.

A pick-up ride on the Smith-trained Slow The Flow brought up the treble, as the four-year-old stormed home after getting out halfway up the straight to claim the Horsepower Feeds Handicap (1250m).

Smith had planned to send Slow The Flow to Brisbane on Saturday for a Listed event but uncertainty over the weather forced him to stay at home.

"That Brisbane race was my aim but it didn't work out so we'll go to another plan now," Smith said.

© Australian Associated Press Pty Limited (AAP) 2012

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