Stewards let Magic Millions barrier draw proceed after mix up

STEWARDS made a call on the run to allow Tuesday’s Magic Millions barrier draw to proceed — and stand — despite an error during the televised event.

NATHAN EXELBY

2 min read

January 10, 2017 - 3:32PM

Magic Millions barrier draw morning at Surfers Paradise beach. Picture: Luke Marsden

STEWARDS made a call on the run to allow Tuesday’s Magic Millions barrier draw to proceed — and stand — despite an error during the televised event.

A mistaken number by MC Hamish McLachlan led to a horse being given its chance to be allotted a barrier earlier than it should have.

NEWS: HOUTZEN DRAWS CARPARK IN MM CLASSIC

Royal Zara Phillips was assigned the task of drawing the number of each runner before a connection of the horse then chose a barrier at random.

But when Phillips drew horse number 20 (Zukaz), McLachlan mistakenly called the owners of Imaginalthepeople (number 19) to come forward.

Barrier draw host Hamish McLachlan. Picture: Julie Kiriacoudis

Attempts from Magic Millions representatives to alert McLachlan of the mistake failed and the representative for Imaginalthepeople came to the stage and picked up barrier three, meaning that draw was then unavailable for all other horses that followed. Zukaz later was allotted barrier five. Both are emergencies and unlikely to secure a start in the race.

Queensland’s chief steward Allan Reardon watched the draw on SKY Racing and said he was satisfied with the decision made by stewards Ian Brown and Daniel Aurisch.

“I could see there was an issue, but I think in the circumstances, the right decision was made to proceed,” Reardon said. “A redraw would have been a far worse result, given there were already several horses that had been allocated draws.”

Zara Phillips and her husband Mike Tindall helped conduct the Magic Millions barrier draw.

Reardon said there was provisions under Australian Rule of Racing 8 and also local rule 66 (7) that aligned with the decision made by Brown and Aurisch at the draw.

$2m MAGIC MILLIONS 2YO CLASSIC (1200m)

1 OURS TO KEEP C Munce D Browne (4) 57kg

2 GOODFELLA B Baker B Avdulla (14) 57kg

3 BRING IT HOME POP D Hansen L Tarrant (20) 57kg

4 CHAUFFEUR G Ryan J Parr (12) 57kg

5 FALCONIC G Portelli K Jennings (8) 57kg

6 SAXTON ROCK M Dunn R Fradd (15) 57kg

7 ARRESTAR M Dunn D Lane (11) 57kg

8 MADEENATY D & B Hayes & T Dabernig M Zahra (1) 55kg

9 CHAMP ELECT C Munce K McEvoy (17) 55kg

10 INVINCIBLE STAR G Waterhouse & A Bott T Clark (16) 55kg

11 HOUTZEN T Edmonds J Lloyd (21) 55kg