One clerk of the course struggled to hold a riderless runner and veered dangerously into the path of a race field as it turned into the home straight during the opening race. The horse later broke free.
The clerk of the course got tangled up in a race at Warrnambool on Thursday. Twitter
A second on-track official caught a loose horse in an almost identical place during the Grand Annual Steeplechase,as the field rounded the final bend,but was able to maintain his grip and avoid shifting into the path of runners.
Stewards spoke to both clerks of the course at the end of the race day,but no further action will be taken against them.
Stewards will speak with the industry’s clerk of the course panel to see if any changes need to be made to their race-day procedures.
“There were no special instructions today from the stewards for the clerks to catch loose horses during the running of races,” a Racing Victoria spokesperson said.
RV chief steward Rob Montgomery,who was officiating at Warrnambool on Thursday,was unavailable for comment when contacted by this masthead.
Mornington trainer Amy Yargi posted on X that the actions of the clerks of the course were “reckless”.
“What the heck are these clerks of the course doing today? Insanity,” Yargi wrote.
Rosemont Stud’s Anthony Mithen questioned the clerk of the course’s decision to try and catch a riderless horse in the home straight of the 5500m Grand Annual Steeplechase.
“They had 4000m to try and catch the horse and left it for the last 200m … in front of the home crowd,” he posted on X.
“Ruined the race for Vanguard. Horrendous. Common sense ain’t so common.”
Montgomery’s stewards panel reviewed the footage in both races before declaring correct weight.
“They were satisfied that no interference was caused and no horses’ chances were comprised in the races,” an RV spokesperson said.
“The clerks of course are very experienced in these situations which require quick decision-making and today’s incidents presented unique challenges due to layout of the course.”
‘I’ve never seen that happen’
A near mid-race collision involving a clerk of the course,a jumps jockey failing a breath test and a 40-1 outsider upstaging the favourites in the Grand Annual Steeplechase were all part of an incident-packed final day of the Warrnambool jumps racing carnival.
In a dramatic open race on Thursday,the clerk of the course grabbed a runaway riderless horse and then veered dangerously into the path of runners as the field turned into the home straight.
The clerk of the course had been trying to ride along the inside running rail but struggled to hold onto the reins of the Andrew Noblet-trained Abreed as it fought to break free.
Jockey Richard O’Donoghue,who was on the race leader and eventual third-placegetter Frankenstar,appeared to change his action to avoid a collision,while Tom Ryan had to shift Jekyll’n’hyde off the fence considerably to avoid any contact.
The field managed to pass the unexpected interference without incident.
Jockey Ross O’Sullivan.Getty Images
Spectators at Warrnambool said that they feared that the clerk of the course’s actions could have caused an accident,or a rider being dislodged.
“I have never seen that happen before during a race,” one trackside punter said,who did not want to be named. “I don’t know what they were trying to achieve.”
Abreed eventually broke free of the official’s grip and finished the race.
Stewards inspected the vision before declaring correct weight in the 3200m Novice Hurdle. They later suspended jockey Luca Remondet for 10 races for permitting his mount Huntly Castle to shift in near the 800m,close to where Abreed buckled and dislodged its rider Aaron Kuru.
This masthead was told by Racing Victoria that the clerk of the course was unavailable for comment.
John Leek jnr,who trained the race one winner,Affluential,and Kathryn Durden,who trained Frankenstar,both declined to comment when contacted.
In an uncanny coincidence,a second clerk of the course had to grab a riderless horse later in the day,during the 5500m Grand Annual Steeplechase,at an almost identical spot on the track,but was able to do so without causing any interference.
In further high drama,jumps jockey Ross O’Sullivan was ruled out from riding 200-1 outsider Wolfe Tone in Thursday’s Grand Annual Steeplechase after failing an on-course breath test.
Jockeys are required to ride under 0.02. O’Sullivan pleaded guilty to exceeding the required alcohol limit and was suspended for a month – from May 2 until midnight June 2.
Racing Victoria refused to reveal O’Sullivan’s blood alcohol reading.
O’Sullivan was replaced by Willie McCarthy on Wolfe Tone,which finished second last behind surprise Grand Annual winner Count Zero.
It was a remarkable turnaround for the Symon Wilde-trained victor,as Count Zero had finished 37.5 lengths last in Tuesday’s Brierly Steeplechase and yet was able to win the gruelling 5500m Grand Annual in a driving finish against Bell Ex One.
“I can’t believe that has just happened,” winning jockey Darryl Horner jnr said after the race.
“I said to the clerk of the course,‘Did I just win a Grand Annual?’ As it still hasn’t sunk in.”
Horner jnr,who almost gave up the sport to become a builder,said he had battled all week to make the riding weight for Count Zero.
“Me and my best mate Richard O’Donoghue slogged it out all week to get to the 64[kilograms] and we had each other’s backs the whole week because it got pretty tough,” Horner jnr said.
“I shot home about two hours ago and pulled off the last kilo and I was lying in the bath thinking ‘Will it be worth it?’ And it’s worth it,I can tell you.”
In-form jockey Harry Coffey won the Warrnambool Cup on board the Shane Jackson-trained Mystery Island.
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