Commentator Sheldon Peters had all a-twitter before the first at Scottsville on Sunday, broadcasting that hot favourite Sigismund had been kicked behind the pens.
Master Thief (Lyle Hewitson) beats Perpetual Flame (Muzi Yeni) to win the first at Scottsville (Pic – Candiese Marnewick / Gold Circle)
Andrew Harrison writes that so adamant was Peters that he asked his television producer to re-wind and show the incident.
In his defence, one of the runners did lash out at Sigismund and from the camera angle it did appear to make contact.
However, rider Callan Murray was unperturbed or unaware of his mount being kicked and continued to circle with the balance of the runners.
The incident was relayed to the stipendiary stewards who in turn contacted the starter via two-way radio. Starter Paul Hepworth and course vet Roehaan Sutherland were both adamant on the radio that, “no horse has been kicked at the start.”
To compound matters, Sigismund did not feature in the finish leaving the public with the perception that the favourite had been kicked and that it had affected his chances.
Here is the race replay:
Peters added even more fuel to the fire later reporting that Sigismund had pulled up lame behind.
Alistair Gordon, who missed saddling his horse as he had mixed up his starting times and was late on course, later reported to Chairman of the Stipendiary Board, Shaun Parker, that Sigismund had a troublesome testicle and that was the probable cause of the lameness which was on the opposite side to where the horse was allegedly kicked.
- www.goldcircle.co.za
Ed – the Stipes Report will be reviewed this morning
