While many of his rivals behind him were scrambling to stay on their feet, frontrunner Rabbuka ran away with the Festival Stakes at Rosehill.In what chief steward Ray Murrihy described as "horrendous" interference, Rabbuka's Gai Waterhouse-trained stablemate Rockwood came off the worst of several horses involved in a near pile-up.The $5 favourite was lucky to stay on his feet and jockey Nash Rawiller was lucky to keep his seat.Ahdashim (Glenn Colless) and Walking Or Dancing (Hugh Bowman) were on

While many of his rivals behind him were scrambling to stay on their feet, frontrunner Rabbuka ran away with the Festival Stakes at Rosehill.

In what chief steward Ray Murrihy described as "horrendous" interference, Rabbuka's Gai Waterhouse-trained stablemate Rockwood came off the worst of several horses involved in a near pile-up.

The $5 favourite was lucky to stay on his feet and jockey Nash Rawiller was lucky to keep his seat.

Ahdashim (Glenn Colless) and Walking Or Dancing (Hugh Bowman) were on the outside of the pack and coming over in the early stages of the 1500m race when several horses appeared to lose their balance.

Colless said he was following Bowman in while the latter said the incident happened too quickly for him to react to the horses on his inside.

"The interference is horrendous, the whole field could have come down," Murrihy told the riders.

While the drama unfolded behind him, Josh Parr kept Rabbuka at a steady clip in front and had plenty in reserve for the finishing sprint, holding Parfumier at bay by 1-1/4 lengths with the same margin to Ahdashim in third place.

Rockwood straggled in more than 44 lengths from the winner.

Parr, who was apprenticed to Waterhouse but now rides mainly for Darley as a senior rider, said it was a thrill to claim the Listed race for his former boss.

"Gai and I separated on good terms and I have ridden two winners for her this week," Parr said.

"The horse had had three trials coming into the race so I knew he would be hard fit.

"We were up and out of trouble and he did the rest."

Waterhouse is currently holidaying in the United States but stable representative Tania Rouse says the plan is to run Rabbuka in the Villiers Stakes in two weeks.

That was the plan for most of the Festival Stakes runners including Parfumier and Ahdashim.

Rockwood did not appear to have sustained any lasting injuries but will be fully checked over by the stable vets.

There was drama before the race when Absent Friends had to be scratched because he was in fact absent, stablemate Sacred Orders having been transported to the track in his place.

An inquiry into the incident was adjourned until trainer Gary Portelli's return from holiday.