McEvoy Comes Off Second Best At Ascot

Saturday, 19 November 2011 09:46

New Zealand trainer Roger James experienced the highs and lows of racing in 30 minutes when He's Remarkable won, then lost, Perth's biggest race, the $1 million Railway Stakes.

Kerrin McEvoyShaun O'Donnell, rider of second past the post, Luckygray, fired in a protest against He's Remarkable's jockey Kerrin McEvoy as did Paul Harvey who rode fourth placed Waratah's Secret.

Harvey was unsuccessful but stewards upheld O'Donnell's objection, agreeing McEvoy had shifted out approaching the home turn causing interference to horses on his outside.

They deemed the ground lost by Luckygray to be greater than the long neck margin at the end of the race.

Luckygray made up many lengths on He's Remarkable inside the final 200 metres of the 1600m event and O'Donnell said the four-year-old deserved the win.

"It was unfortunate the incident happened," O'Donnell said.

"My thoughts were that we should have won and I was a shattered man coming back in.

"I didn't know who did it (the interference) and I told the trainer Gino Poletti we should look at the film.

"I'm happy. I've won a Group One before but this is my first win in a million dollar race."

McEvoy's day didn't get much better when he finished second aboard Rarefied in the other Group One race on the Ascot program, the Winterbottom Stakes (1400m).

The result was a triumph for headline jockey Craig Williams who steered Ortensia to a clear cut victory.

Williams was riding at his last meeting in Australia before heading to Japan on a six week contract.

He had his own share of disappointment earlier this month when suspension robbed him of the winning Melbourne Cup ride on Dunaden and also Ortensia's win at the Flemington carnival.

Formerly trained by Tony Noonan, Ortensia was headed to the broodmare barn but owner Alister Fraser decided to give her another preparation and sent her to his Hunter Valley neighbour Paul Messara.

The winner of the 2009 Winterbottom when it was a Group Two race, Ortensia was stripped of her 2010 Group One Galaxy trophy due to a positive swab.

"To win a Group One win on this mare is great," Williams said.

"She deserved to have it. She had one and she lost it.

"She was awesome today. I have such a great relationship with her. I trust her and she was really good."

Ortensia beat Rarefied by a length with Grand Nirvana a close third.

"I'm overwhelmed," Fraser said.

"I semi retired her but I thought there was still something left.

"I wanted her to go out on top. I thought she she deserved to go out a winner."

Fraser said he and Messara would discuss whether to give Ortensia another preparation in the autumn before she goes to stud.

Earlier, Williams won the Group Two WA Guineas (1600m) on King Saul for leading Perth trainer Trevor Andrews.

Picture: Sportpix