Another Sin has created history by becoming the first horse to win a Highway Handicap on debut, though only after jockey Corey Brown was forgiven for causing minor interference.
The gelding’s triumph at Rosehill on Saturday was confirmed only after stewards dismissed a protest by Tye Angland, on runner-up Lifesaver, who said he had been impeded before losing by a short head.
Stewards ruled the contact was slight and would not have affected the outcome of the 1100m card-opener.
Chief steward Marc van Gestel also noted Lifesaver shifted in further up the straight to cause a more significant bump on the pre-race favourite, who had plunged from $14 midweek to $3.30.
Connections and Scone trainer Brett Cavanough were finally able to celebrate as Another Sin justified the trip south by upstaging the Matt Dunn-trained gelding Lifesaver ($4.80).
After six second placings in a Highway, Cavanough was rapt to break his duck with Another Sin, who would have raced last season had shin soreness not intervened.
Another Sin won his barrier trial with Brown on July 24 but Cavanough was still edgy, particularly after the betting plunge.
“You can think they’re good but as soon as you get to the races you’ve got to empty them out. He got emptied out today with a big horse laying all over him down the straight,” Cavanough said.
“He’s just a baby so we’ll see where we end up with him. We’ll take him home and worry about the rest later.”
