Scott Bailey was beaming after Winterfell finally opened his account at his 10th start on Sunday, never mind if the usual post-race celebrations had to be foregone.
The Showcasing grey ($25) won the $35,000 Stepitup 2015 Stakes, a Maiden race over 1400m, in the Stewards’ room.
He was second past the line with Lim's Sparkle (A’Isisuhairi Kasim, $33) a nose ahead first, and the one who automatically walked into the winner’s stall for the traditional photo-taking.
But when the objection sign was flashed, all parties had to hold their horses and punters their tickets. Winterfell’s jockey John Powell had fired in a protest for interference in the closing stages, and after a 10-minute hearing, the objection was upheld – much to Bailey’s great delight.
Bailey has led in many winners as trainer Shane Baertschiger’s right-hand man over the years, but if there is one horse the former Adelaide jockey would have got an extra kick in posing for the camera at the winner’s circle it had to be Winterfell.
After all the banter “spruiking” Winterfell as the next Kranji superstar, the Game Of Thrones fan was a little disappointed he missed out on that Instagram moment on Sunday, but was still chuffed the horse he named after the capital of the North in the popular TV series has finally shed his maiden status.
In nine previous runs, Winterfell had come close a few times, but the latest couple of performances (eighth and fifth) had Bailey seriously wondering if the grey would ever have the same runaway success as the medieval drama.
“I thought he was ready to go up to Malaysia after his last run,” he joked. “He’s no world-beater but hey, I named him, and he’s a pretty special horse to me.
“I was no fan of the Game Of Thrones, but someone told me how great it was. I bought the DVD’s and I was hooked, I’ve watched all of them.
“I thought Winterfell would be a nice name for that little grey horse that walked into our yard one day. The owners liked the name, and we were all hoping he would be the King of the North, the King of Kranji!
“Not quite yet, but he’s shown ability and today was his day, even if he won on objection, winners are grinners.”
Baertschiger walked into the Stewards’ room, confident he would be handed the race.
“If Harry’s horse had gone straight, we would have won easy,” he said.
“He shifted five horses and took our momentum. We lost by a nose, so I knew we had good grounds.
“The horse himself has been very unlucky and he would have been unlucky again today to not have won.
“I put him back in Open Maiden company for something a little easier. JP rode him well.”
Powell said that he had Lim’s Sparkle always in his line of sight coming into the home straight, but that bump close home as Lim’s Sparkle suddenly ducked out, cost him the race.
“I thought I had Harry’s horse covered. He had the momentum and was quickening very well, but Harry’s horse shifted abruptly, and that threw us off balance awkwardly,” said the Australian jockey.
“I had to stop using the whip and ride him hands and heels to regain his momentum. He came back again and lost by a nose.”
In a case that can be seen as “squaring off”, the Lim’s Stable got one back on the Baertschiger yard three races later when $18 favourite Lim's Shot (Danny Beasley) gained the verdict - again by a nose - from Baertschiger’s Ladrone (Matthew Kellady) in the $60,000 Waikato 2012 Stakes, a Class 4 Division 1 race over 1200m.
