Backers of short-priced favourite Sebrose were in line to lose their money before Stewards reversed the order after upholding Sebrose’s rider’s objection against the winner for interference.
The Hideyuki Takaoka-trained Higher Soul indeed looked to have the race all sewn up after he took the ascendancy from $8 favourite Sebrose at the 300m, but instead of pulling away, the Japanese-bred filly started to roll in under pressure. In so doing, she bumped into Sebrose, on whom jockey Manoel Nunes could be seen taking corrective action.
Higher Soul, however, did not show any signs of letting up despite looking a little wobbly, but neither did Sebrose who was rallying strongly on the rails, but despite his hard graft, he fell short by a head. Given the narrow margin and degree of interference, Nunes was entitled to feel hard done by and immediately fired in a protest for interference and after a lengthy deliberation in the Stewards’ room, the Brazilian jockey was vindicated.
Placed twice from three previous starts, Sebrose, a three-year-old by Sebring, had to overcome a wide gate before finding the pole position on the rails. Once he secured that spot, Nunes slammed the brakes to back off the speed to a crawl, which caused the rest of the field to bunch up from the back.
Higher Soul, who had stayed glued to Sebrose’s girth from the outset, was probably the only one who could reel him in when they let down in the home straight, while the rest realistically had their job cut out coming off such a slow tempo.
The two leading protagonists swung off the corner ready to settle for a good go, but Higher Soul got the upperhand more easily than thought when he took one length on the hot favourite. But Sebrose refused to concede defeat, and in Nunes’ opinion, should have turned back the tables fair and square had he not been hampered.
“The Stewards made the right decision. Alan’s filly (Higher Soul) clearly took my momentum. 100%,” said Nunes.
“I fell behind by half-a-length when she bumped me. My horse fought back and lost by a head. He should have won more easily.
“My horse deserved the win. I had to use him up early and he still fought very bravely and don’t forget he was giving away 4.5kg to Alan’s filly. That was why he took a while to make ground on her.”
Sebrose, who ran the 1400m trip (Long Course) of the $75,000 Restricted Maiden race in 1min 25.74secs, incidentally handed his trainer Mark Walker a running double as the New Zealander had saddled an earlier winner in the first race with Von Snitzel (Lisa Allpress) in the $35,000 Class 5 Division 1 race over 1400m.
Understandably upset he had lost a race on protest, Munro was at the receiving end of some form of consolation two races later, a $35,000 Maiden race over 1200m, when he exacted sweet revenge on Nunes by defeating his mount and favourite Lucky Lion with $76 longshot Live Well for trainer Mok Zhan Lun.
