Jockey Rikki Palmer had to survive a protest before continuing her run of scoring upset wins at the Gold Coast.
Palmer rode Invinciboy ($6) who beat the well backed Its Choux Time ($3.60) and Angela’s Beauty ($3.70) in a three-way photo-finish to the Gerard Lighting Handicap (2200m).
However, she then had to survive a protest when Angela’s Beauty’s connections protested against both Its Choux Time and Invinciboy, alleging interference in the final 100m.
But stewards found any shifting by the first two horses had not altered the result and dismissed both protests.
Invinciboy only other win was a Sunshine Coast dead heat when ridden by Palmer at $12.
Palmer’s three previous winners before Wednesday were priced at $21, $101 and $17.
She was injured in a fall at Beaudesert in late 2015 and took two years off during which she got married and had a baby girl.
Palmer resumed riding late last year and her greatest supporter has been Invinciboy’s trainer Harold Norman.
“There is no harder worker than Rikki so she deserves every success. She was with me for five years as an apprentice and still rides seven or eight track work in the mornings,” Norman said.
“Sometimes I still treat her like my apprentice.”
Jim Byrne, who rode Angela’s Beauty, got a quick consolation when he rode Miss Exfactor ($2.20) to an easy win.
“We will probably head to Saturday’s now as that was a good win. She was never on the track,” said trainer Tony Gollan.
Cooroi Chase ($3.40) confirmed she was a superior wet tracker when she made it five starts on heavy going for three win.
