The horse controversially demoted in Beaudesert protest missed start at Doomben recently after getting irritated by pat on backside in barriers

Beachside Babe could be the Australia’s unluckiest horse after being demoted from a win in a controversial protest and then missed the start in a recent run in unusual circumstances.

Beachside Babe may be the unluckiest horse in the world.

She is the horse who can’t take a trick.

Firstly, she was controversially demoted from winning a race at Beaudesert in March in a bizarre protest decision from stewards which became more farcical when a high-level review offered no opinion as to whether the protest should have been upheld or dismissed.

Ahead of her potential assignment at Doomben on Saturday, knockabout trainer David Murphy has revealed how he feels Beachside Babe recently copped a raw deal again.

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Racing at Doomben three starts ago, Murphy said he backed Beachside Babe at big odds just to run a place.

Apprentice jockey Tahlia Fenlon was given instructions to be outside the leader.

Murphy couldn’t believe it when Beachside Babe didn’t jump cleanly and ended up settling in 13th and last place in the run before finishing eighth.

It was then the Eagle Farm trainer commenced a bit of detective work.

“You’ve got no idea how unlucky this horse is,” Murphy told Racenet.

“I took her to Doomben in the three-year-old fillies race and I backed her the place because her previous run at Kilcoy was good, she just didn’t get around the corner there.

“So the plan was to send her around outside the leader at Doomben and I thought she could at least hang on for a place.

Trainer David Murphy remains dismayed at Beachside Babe being demoted on protest earlier this year. Picture: Trackside Photography

“But the next minute she had come out last and I thought how the hell did she miss the kick.

“It turned out a barrier attendant was patting her on the bum and it annoyed her and she threw herself down in the barriers a bit.

“So when the barriers opened, she was last.

“Some bloke was patting her on the bum and that’s why she was slow away.

“They told me they were patting her because he was playing up, but she wasn’t, she is normally as quiet as a mouse.”

Despite being demoted from the win at Beaudesert earlier this year, Beachside Babe has earned over $100,000 for her connections.

Not bad for a horse who was a $3250 weanling purchase from an online sale.

The Stewards at Beaudesert have had an absolute howler here we reckon.

Thoughts? pic.twitter.com/yFchYNj3Px

— The Leg Up Australia (@TheLegUpAus) March 30, 2024

Beachside Babe could now front up at Doomben looking for a valuable Saturday city win in the $75,000 Class 3 Plate (1110m).

Murphy is convinced she is going well, being a last start winner at the Sunshine Coast.

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And he knows plenty will be cheering for his four-year-old mare to finally get some luck.

He admits he is still weighing up whether to start her, given she has drawn barrier 12 of 13.

Incredibly, Murphy said he is yet to hear from anyone from the Queensland Racing Integrity Commission despite the review into the Beaudesert protest being finalised in April.

“I have not heard a thing from QRIC,” Murphy said.

“I have heard nothing from no-one since I walked out of the stewards’ room at Beaudesert that day when the bloke (steward) said it was upheld.”

Beachside Babe was on Thursday listed as a $26 chance with TAB in Saturday’s Doomben race.

She was also nominated for a race at the Sunshine Coast on Sunday.

Originally published as The horse controversially demoted in Beaudesert protest missed start at Doomben recently after getting irritated by pat on backside in barriers