Connections of He’s Remarkable are considering an appeal against a stewards’ decision to uphold a protest against the Kiwi galloper in Perth’s Railway Stakes.
He’s Remarkable was first across the line in the Group One at Ascot on Saturday but was demoted to runner-up following a successful protest against Kerrin McEvoy from Shaun O’Donnell who rode second past the post Luckygray.
Roger James, trainer of He’s Remarkable, was shocked his horse lost the race and subsequently approached stewards to inquire about his appeal options.
“I went to the stewards an hour afterwards and asked what avenues were available to me for the likes of an appeal – and I questioned them on it – but they gave me a very strong indication the only way was through a procedural error and not the decision itself,” James told New Zealand’s Waikato Times newspaper.
James has since been in contact with a legal professional in Western Australia who advised him differently.
James said connections were now seriously considering whether to appeal the protest decision.
“The owners are going through the process of considering every possible option,” James said.
“We should have been putting to bed on Saturday night a horse that was worth $4 million to $5 million.”
Stewards found Luckygray was the victim of interference at the 600m and deemed it cost him more than the long neck margin by which he was beaten.
James feels the evidence he has seen does not prove He’s Remarkable was responsible for causing the incident.
“I asked them to show us some evidence of where they could prove that it was our horse that caused the incident and they couldn’t do that, but the ruling still went against us,” he said.
“I’ve looked at the decision from every possible angle and however you look at it, it’s a bad decision.”
James said he had received sympathy and support from both punters and people involved in the racing industry.
“There were 20,000 people there on Saturday and I was walking out afterwards and people were coming up to me and saying `I can’t believe it – that was just a shocking decision’,” James said.
It is believed connections have until December 3 to lodge an appeal.
He’s Remarkable is due to fly back to New Zealand on Sunday and will be set for the Doncaster Mile at Randwick in April.
AAP TURF
