A capacity crowd of 55 000 held their collective breaths once again as the objection hooter sounded across Greyville Racecourse for the second consecutive year. It’s a race that every year throws up its fair share of drama and yesterday’s Vodacom Durban July was not different. The dreaded hooter sounded shortly after the Dean Kannemeyer-trained Power King (22-1) had roared to victory ahead of Punta Arenas (28-1), Tellina (25-1) with the closest of the fancied runners Futura (9-2) in fourth place. The quartet, with a pool of over R14 million, paid R82 000.

With a wall of horses across the track as the field headed over the subway it was still anyone’s race with most of the field still in contention. However, Randolph threaded Power King through a gap up the centre and set sail for home. But once through the gap Power King shifted outwards hampering a number of horses including favourite Legal Eagle. Randolph managed to straighten his mount as fellow outsider Punta Arenas loomed up on the stand side. The two came together at about the 100 m mark and initial views were that Power King had interfered with Punta Arenas.

Jockey Ian Sturgeon was quickly into the steward’s room to view the patrol film and decided to lodge an objection on the grounds of interference in the later stages. However, a view of the head-on showed Power King holding a straight course and it was indeed Punta Arenas who shifted out bumping the winner.

Once hearing all the evidence and viewing the head-on video footage the stipendiary stewards quickly over ruled the objection.

“Anton opened a gap and I got a clear split up the middle. I managed to straighten the horse up for the line, when Ian’s (Sturgeon) horse ran into me and turned my back end sideways. My horse was much more inconvenienced than his.”

Coming out of the steward’s room the two jockeys shook hands.

This was Kannemeyer’s third July victory after Dynasty and Eyeofthetiger and Stuart Randolph’s first. Power King is owned by Lady Christine Laidlaw’s Khaya Stables.

Kannemeyer said he had been concerned but the right decision had been made. “When you win this race it’s always the perfect ride,” he quipped. “We are very happy and the gods were very kind.”

“This was Lady Laidlaw’s first ever visit to Durban and Greyville and it was a great way to introduce her.”

Post-race and a now composed Lady Laidlaw said, “I calmed myself down first and looked at the film and my friend said the other rider had made the mistake. But my boy outdid them all.”

“My heart did sink when I heard the hooter,” said Randolph. “But after I looked at the head-on I knew I was safe. The other horse bumped me twice.”

An emotional Stan Elley, who retires from training after 40 years at the end of the month, was bitterly disappointed but said it had been a fair decision. “I have no complaints. If you had offered me second place at 6 o’clock this morning I would have taken it with both hands.”

Geoff Woodruff expressed similar sentiments about third-placed Tellina. “If you had offered me third yesterday I would have taken it. It also showed that he deserved his place in the field. This was his ninth placing in group races.”

By Andrew Harrison