Connections had an anxious 10-minute wait before their gelding Alassak was declared the winner of the Bundamba Plate (1100m) at Ipswich.
Alassak ($21) beat Happy Event ($3) by a nose, but connections of the second horse claimed the colour print showed it was a dead heat.
Chairman of stewards Martin Knibbs said there appeared to be a clear margin on the colour photo for the winner.
But Happy Event’s trainer John Zielke argued his horse had a “pink lip” and it was a dead heat.
Correct weight was declared after Zielke went to the judge’s box to see the official print.
Trainer David Murphy forgave Alassak for dumping him at track work when the gelding scored the second upset win in as many races.
Murphy has a big opinion of Alassak, which won his first start at Ipswich over the same distance.
“But he has had no luck at his two runs since and our confidence grew when he was able to draw a better barrier today,” Murphy said.
“We deliberately aimed him at this race because while it is always very good quality the better Sydney horses have gone home.
“I am glad he won because the owner drove 800 kilometres to get here to see him.”
Alassak will now head for a spell and will be brought back for the summer three-year-old races.
Winning jockey Tegan Harrison said Alassak had been green but had raced more truly in the final 200m.
“Lucky Happy Event came on his outside because he didn’t look outwards at him and went straight,” she said.
Earlier, In His Stride ($26) appreciated a big step down in class when he won the Cooney Handicap (1350m).
