KNYSNA NEWS - Local racehorse owner Natasha Sturdy was left reeling after her charge, Royal Victory, failed to defend its title in the Premier's Champions Challenge in controversial circumstances.
During the grade 1 race at Turffontein Racecourse in Johannesburg on Saturday 29 March, Royal Victory and racehorse Fire Attack brushed against each other close to the finish line, after which Fire Attack crossed it in first place 0.25 lengths ahead of Royal Victory.
Lodged objection
Royal Victory's jockey, Muzi Yeni, then lodged an objection, "on the grounds of interference in the closing stages", Natasha's husband, Chris Sturdy, said.
While the stipendiary stewards were deciding on the veracity of the complaint, which took them a few minutes, Chris said he and Natasha "went through all sorts of emotions in that time".
The stewards ruled there was insufficient cause to overturn the result, and so Royal Victory was officially declared the runner-up to Fire Attack.
"I think we were very unlucky the result was not overturned, but congratulations to the winner," Chris said.
"Royal Victory was bumped twice - the first time was about 150m out, and then the second time was about 50 yards out; this is the contentious one.
Royal Victory on the track.
Durban July
"Regardless of the bumping, it was a fantastic run - he's [Royal Victory] retained all his ability from last season.
"The race suggested he's on top of his game, and we're going to have another go at the Durban July - that's his big target now."
Last year Royal Victory came third in the Durban July, and was the highest-earning horse in the country in the previous racing season, with its season winnings totalling R4.625m, and its lifetime earnings at R5.330m.
'Unbelievable achievement'
After winning R400 000 for coming second in the Premier's Champions Challenge - Fire Attack got R1.2m - Royal Victory's lifetime earnings have risen to R5.842m.
"It's an unbelievable achievement," said Chris, who bought Natasha a share in the horse in 2021.
Royal Victory, stabled in Durban and trained by Nathan Kotzen, is now five years old, an age when racehorses have typically reached their peak and need to be managed carefully.
To give the racehorse, which won regional awards and a national Equus award last year, the best chance of winning the Durban July and other grade 1 races, "we are going to look after him as best we can", Chris said.
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