Where Does The Nonsense End?Dariana was one thing, but Firebolt was quite another.True, Dariana caused her own problems last weekend and although it was a rotten break for supporters, she repaid the faithful on Saturday.This Saturday though, Firebolt was denied a fair start.I could see it on the monitor replay, with SKY World showing the inquiry (regardless of the fact that the person in charge of the transmission didn't seem to get the idea that you don't plaster a "recorded earlier"
Where Does The Nonsense End?
Dariana was one thing, but Firebolt was quite another.
True, Dariana caused her own problems last weekend and although it was a rotten break for supporters, she repaid the faithful on Saturday.
This Saturday though, Firebolt was denied a fair start.
I could see it on the monitor replay, with SKY World showing the inquiry (regardless of the fact that the person in charge of the transmission didn't seem to get the idea that you don't plaster a "recorded earlier" sign all over the spot where we had the viewers' monitor of the race!).
I saw the attendant's arm going up, similtaneously with seeing the barrier opening. I had it videod and watched it several times. How the stewards thought the horse had a show in Hades after that, I have no idea.
The starter's view of things was quite fairly challenged by Danny Nikolic, in enough stressful bother without this incident causing angst. If the starter could see what we could see head-on, he must have had X-Ray vision.
Yet the whole thing was rejected and the horse was declared a starter. And with it, thousands of dollars disappeared into the bookies' bags without the punters having a fair chance of a run.
It absolutely beats me how they could come to that decision, given they had a closer view than any of us yet we could see the arm rising.
There you go then: Way 191 for the poor old punter to cop a bashing.