Kintyre gets just reward in stewards room
Jamie Kah and Kintyre (left) win the Group 3 Frank Packer Plate
Trainer Gary Portelli declared Kintyre would have been a "tragedy beaten" if stewards had not upheld a protest in their favour at Royal Randwick on Saturday.
Kintyre was crowded for room when taking a narrow run inside Gold Bullion near the line in the Group 3 $250,000 Frank Packer Plate (2000m).
Gold Bullion held a slight advantage on the line but after Portelli spoke with jockey Jamie Kah, they decided to look at the stewards head-on film before lodging a protest alleging interference in the final 50m.
Kah told stewards she felt Kintyre was going to rail through under Gold Bullion and win only to be forced onto the inside rail near the line.
"My horse was going to go past the other horse and win the race," Kah said.
It was a great battle in the G3 Frank Packer Plate, with Gold Bullion getting the photo from Kintyre!@aus_turf_club@GaiWaterhouse1pic.twitter.com/RGfAYTw0Bl
- SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) April 20, 2024
"The margin is very small but I felt like my horse was going to go on and win easily.
"The interference has definitely cost me a good length, I think."
Portelli also told stewards that Kintyre was making a winning run when the gelding ran out of racing room when Gold Bullion shifted in near the finish.
"As we get close to getting past the 'winner' it comes in and you can see my horse taking the fence on," Portelli said.
"Jamie can't even ride our horse out. She is trying to save herself from having an accident.
"The other horse actually starts to ease in and almost intimidated us close to the line. As it got tighter, our bloke took on the fence and it wasn't our job to take on the fence."
Gold Bullion's jockey, Tim Clark, then made a strong case for his three-year-old to retain the race.
"When Jamie shifts back to the inside the run is tight," Clark said.
"That horse had a good 250m to get past my horse and was unable to do so. When my horse gets in on Jamie it was right on the winning post if not past the winning post."
Racing NSW chief steward Steve Railton then asked Clark to clarify his evidence.
"As you progressed close to the finishing post are you leaving sufficient room or do you agree your mount is placing pressure on Jamie Kah?" Railton said.
Clark replied: "We are racing in close proximity - as I said the run was tight to start with."
Adrian Bott, trainer of Gold Bullion, maintains there was "ample opportunity" for Kintyre to squeeze through and win the race.
"I don't see it getting away from us before the contact occurred and the majority of that was past the post," Bott said.
Portelli then interjected: "What was the margin, sir?"
Railton: "It was a nose, thanks for reinforcing that Mr Portelli."
It was a great battle in the G3 Frank Packer Plate, with Gold Bullion getting the photo from Kintyre!@aus_turf_club@GaiWaterhouse1pic.twitter.com/RGfAYTw0Bl
- SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) April 20, 2024
Portelli: "We are bending the rail for the last 25m!"
Railton: "We can see it, we will consider it."
Stewards took about three minutes to reach their decision and confirm the protest was upheld.
"The stewards found after passing the 50m Kintyre is taking a run inside Gold Bullion and shifts away slightly and brushed the inside rail," Railton said.
"Then over the final 25m, Gold Bullion shifts in and places Kintyre in restricted room. This results in Kintyre making contact with the running rail the last four or five stride.
"Given the margin is a nose, stewards believe the objection should be upheld."
The amended placings had Kintyre ($3.50) scoring by a nose from Gold Bullion ($13) with Our Gold Hope ($6.50) a half-length away third. Favourite Tannhauser ($2.60) loomed up halfway down the straight but laboured late to finish fourth.
Kintyre's protest win was a reward for the gelding's consistent autumn carnival form which had included minor placings in the Carbine Club Stakes and Phar Lap Stakes.
"He has been so consistent, he hasn't run a bad race yet," Portelli said.
"Barrier one, finally, and he got every chance, good ride. It would have been tragic to see him get beaten."
Kintyre's is a half-brother to Portelli's 2022 Golden Slipper winner Fireburn. The trainer revealed he also purchased the yearling half-brother by Pierata for $480,00 at the Easter Sale last week.
Portelli said he will talk to the owners, Louis Milhalyka's Laurel Oak Bloodstock, whether to keep the three-year-old in training for a possible Queensland Derby campaign.
"He's a gelding, he's well-bred and he might go to Brisbane, we'll see how he pulls up," Portelli said.
"His quality might take him out to a Derby trip but certainly there will be something up there for him. He won't earn money sitting in the stable or in a paddock eating grass."
KONASANA RELISHES THE HEAVY CONDITIONS IN JAMES H B CARR STAKES
Trainer Chris Waller knows Konasana isn't destined for the top level but the filly showed she can still be a valuable stakes earner after lapping up the heavy conditions to win at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.The daughter of Dundeel showed superior wet track ability to score a comfortable win in the Group 3 James H B Carr Stakes (1400m).
Konasana ($18) motored through the heavy ground late to beat stablemate Scarlet Oak ($4.80 fav) by three and three-quarter lengths with Brad Widdup's Hasty Honey ($31) a half neck away in third.
"Obviously winning these types of races are important," Waller said.
"She's not up the top level, but my job, or our job, is to try and keep her now at this level and try and get her a little bit better as well."
Konasana enjoys the wet conditions, and wins the G3 James H B Carr Stakes at Randwick!@aus_turf_club@Reganbayliss@cwallerracingpic.twitter.com/l7abcZY5dq
- SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) April 20, 2024
Jockey Regan Bayliss had Konasana travelling sweetly on the fence in the run and the inside line proved crucial to his success.
As his rivals fanned wide on the turn, Bayliss was able to punch through closest to the inside before racing away for an easy win.
"She's a pretty good filly," Bayliss said.
"In the spring she had form out over a trip around the likes of Autumn Angel.
"Today, she got into a beautiful rhythm and it was all about getting through the ground and she swum through it, savaging the line.
"She'll only get better as she gets out over more ground."
Waller had tested Konasana twice in stakes races during the spring where the filly finished fourth in the fourth in the Ethereal Stakes and seventh in the Wakeful Stakes.
"She had some good form in the spring," Waller said.
"We were aiming for the Oaks and she didn't stay. So her shorter distance form was good. And she's backed it up today.
"She doesn't mind a wet track, obviously."
Waller was undecided where he would head next with Konasana.
He had three of the first four runners home with Chica Mojito back in fourth.
The premier trainer was happy with the display of runner up Scarlet Oak, who was having her first start in Australia and second overall after moving over from New Zealand.
"In her second start, she was good particularly because we didn't expect to be racing on a track as wet as this," he said.
- Additional reporting by Mitch Cohen
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