Racing Queensland will examine the handicap rules for Listed races after an outcry from trainers and owners about the Tails Handicap.
All the horses in Saturday’s field carried 58kg.
Trainer Peter Moody submitted two late entries – Fat Al, who is in Brisbane, and Ancient King, who ran at Flemington of Friday – but did not accept with either.
As an Epsom Handicap winner Fat Al was given 60kg with Ancient King on 54.5kg and the rest on the 54kg minimum.
But when neither Moody runner accepted, all weights were raised to accommodate the 58kg minimum topweight.
The Listed race was won by Brave Ali who met most of the field on favourable terms having carried 57.5kg topweight to an open handicap win at Doomben two weeks earlier.
Len Treloar, who trained runner-up Heartfelt Quest, said the handicap system had robbed his horse of a black type win.
“The winner should have had 59 kilograms and we should have had 54,” Treloar said.
“Surely if ever a rule was meant to be bent this was it.”
Paul Nolan, who trains third placed Secret Garden, was also critical of the decision not to rehandicap the race.
“I said before the race we couldn’t beat Brave Ali at the weights. But we all had to run because it is a lead-up to our winter campaigns.”
“They really should look at the rule.”
Desleigh Forster, whose mare Poste Restante ran fourth, was another critical of the decision.
“Why have late entries if they are not going to run?” she said.
RQ chief executive Darren Condon said the problem would be reviewed this week and ways to overcome it considered.
Meanwhile, RQ Chairman Kevin Dixon confirmed the status of the Tails Handicap as a black type race would also be reviewed.
“We will have to do something to boost it or the black type is in real danger,” he said.
