Stewards stand firm with photo finish decision at Ipswich

HAPPY Event’s trainer John Zielke insists officials should have declared a dead-heat in Saturday’s Bundamba Handicap, but stewards had no doubt the judge got it right.

Alassak, left, was given the nod over Happy Event in a photo finish on Saturday. Picture: Liam Kidston

HAPPY Event’s trainer John Zielke insists officials should have declared a dead-heat in Saturday’s Bundamba Handicap, but stewards had no doubt the judge got it right.

Correct weight was delayed for 15 minutes after the race as Zielke argued there was no margin between Happy Event and Alassak at the finish.

“It was questionable,” Zielke said. “(Happy Event) has a pink nose and a pink bottom lip and I don’t see any black between the line.

“Anyway they’ve called it but I think they’ve called it wrong. There was an element of doubt and when there is an element of any doubt it should be upheld.”

Racing Queensland steward Martin Knibbs, who chaired the Ipswich meeting, said the panel all agreed there was a nose margin in Alassak’s favour.

“It was unanimous that there was a margin and John was given a first-hand look at the judge’s photo and (steward) Daniel Aurisch accompanied him,” Knibbs said.

“We were still satisfied there was a nose margin and (John) is not but we had to make a call and we believed it was the right decision.”

The Sunshine Coast-based Zielke declared Happy Event a moral in the lead-up to the race and the filly seemed set to claim the prize before Alassak got the bob in on the line.

Tegan Harrison returns on Alassak on Saturday. Picture: Liam Kidston

The David Murphy-trained gelding lowered the colours of boom horse Sir Donald in the process with Saturday’s victory. The winner Alassak will be given a spell.

“He is still learning and he will make a nice three-year-old,” Murphy said.

Sir Donald was backed in from $2.90 to $2.70 after also attracting strong support earlier in the week but had to settle for third after leading comfortably early.

Trainer Michael Nolan was not disappointed with the performance and felt the I Am Invincible gelding wasn’t suited by the give in the track.

“I know he lost but I’m not disappointed,” Nolan said. “He has come a long way out to find firmer footing (in the straight) and if he could hug the fence it is a different ball game.

“We will give him one more run back on top of the ground (before he spells).”

Both Zielke and Nolan argued the track was softer than a Good 4.

Originally published as Stewards stand firm with photo finish decision at Ipswich