Lady Of Harrods will be spelled after a solid win over race favourite Alezan Thunder with that pair dominating a race marred by a ragged start at Caulfield on Saturday.
Five jockeys – Chris Symons (Affable), apprentice Andrew Stead (Gowana), Glen Boss (Tunisia Traveller), Michael Walker (Kid Gloves) and Steven King (Queen Of Eight) initially thought the opening event, the Greatest Ever Easter Egg Hunt Hcp (1100m), was a false start.
Racing Victoria stewards, chaired by Allan Reardon, called all riders in to view video footage of the start of the two-year-old fillies event won by the Russell Cameron-trained Lady Of Harrods ($9), ridden by Jamie Mott.
Reardon said based on the evidence heard from the jockeys, the starter Paul Didham and the video evidence, the panel was satisfied it was a fair start.
Didham said that a horse kicked the barrier, making a loud noise, as he pressed the button to start the race which caused some confusion to riders.
But he had no doubt it was a fair start.
Cameron said Dubawi filly Lady Of Harrods would go for a spell after she sat off race leader Alezan Thunder ($2.25 fav) to score by a half-length with Gowana ($7) 4-1/2 lengths away third.
Lady Of Harrods ran fourth to Real Stolle after a slow getaway in the Group Three Maribyrnong Plate (1000m) at Flemington during the spring before being spelled.
She struck trouble early when sixth of eight to Fire Thunderbolt in the Streets Ice Cream Stakes (1000m) when resuming at Flemington on March 3 but there was action for her in the betting ring on Saturday after she touched $12.
A protest lodged by Symons, rider of the sixth-placed Affable, against the third-placed Gowana was dismissed after a short hearing.
