A shaky start to the Kenilworth Bipot on Saturday was aggravated by the fact that the favourite in the race clearly jumped from the incorrect stallgate.
With the exotic bet paying a minimum of R29 after the running of the first leg, with two first-timers filling the first two positions, punters were knocked out by the relatively below par performance of the Eric Sands pair of Bendy Bullet and Pumeza, who ran third and fourth respectively.
Pumeza was carded with an 11 draw and after the withdrawal of Dynamic Diana (drawn 3), she should have jumped from stall-gate 10, with three horses – Miss Crusade, Straw Rum and Poppy’s Idol on her outside.
In the You-tube clip, it is clear that Pumeza jumps from the wrong gate (her original 11) and with only two horses on her outside.
The race had gone all-clear before the Stipendiary Stewards were made aware of the error by a member of the public.
The Sporting Post has approached the National Horseracing Authority for a comment.
Ed – NHA Racing Control Executive Arnold Hyde has responded to our request for clarity stating that it is both the responsibility of the starter and the riders to ensure that they take up their allotted positions at the start. He will comment further once the matter is investigated next week.
From the Stipes Report:
| Starter(s) on duty | : | Mr A Blayi |
An investigation has been opened into the circumstances which led to MISS CRUSADE (L Govender) and PUMEZA (G Behr) starting from the incorrect stalls.
