There was quite the hue and cry out of Hawkesbury yesterday when the stewards upheld a protest.
The favourite at $3.50 and very heavily tried late, CHIEF GERONIMO (More Than Ready-The Warrior Woman) was in front all the way down the home straight, even crossed the line first, but had the race taken off him when the Stewards awarded it to $31 chance HAPPY SEVENTY (Tickets-Elegant Beauty).
And while upheld protests happen fairly regularly, many at their TAB and or Pub TABs who backed the favourite and first across the line, were shocked.
Watch the home straight 📺 👇:
Side on footage suggests it didn’t look like a lot of disadvantage was inflicted upon Happy Seventy.
He had momentum coming off the back of Chief Geronimo, but he couldn’t get past the tenacious leader.
Head on footage, however, paints a better picture.
Chief Geronimo, handled by Adam Hyeronimus, did leave his running line and bump Happy Seventy….twice over the final 200m. You can judge it by the running rail shadow.
Was it enough to take the race off him?
You make the call.
But punters talking primarily through their pockets didn’t think so.
For mine, the protest should have been upheld.
