High drama on a day of big decisions on and off the track

IF IT was a tough decision whether racing went ahead yesterday, the stewards had another tight call to make in deciding the outcome of a drama-fuelled Commonwealth Cup.

Sky Racing’s Jim McGrath, never afraid to give an opinion, called it a “damned if you do and damned if don’t” decision the stewards were left with after a tight finish and it certainly split opinion.

Some observers seemed to be getting stuck on who the best horse was and did that horse win? But that was not the argument, rather it was why had one horse finished in front of the other in this race?

The stewards decided it was because first-past-the-post Dragon Symbol had taken Campanelle appreciably across the track and while these things come down to fine margins, it is hard to argue against their view.

Everyone will have their own opinion, that’s the beauty of racing, but had Campanelle been on the other side of Dragon Symbol as he went right, then on the balance of probabilities Campanelle finishes in front.

It was a tough decision but one the stewards are paid to make and while no-one wants to see a Royal Ascot Group 1 being decided in the stewards’ room, it was the right call in the circumstances. Had Dragon Symbol kept the race, more questions would have been asked I suspect.

Both ITV and in particular Sky covered the drama of the will-they, won’t-they race superbly before racing, but it would have been gold to have the volume to go with the pictures of the stewards’ inquiry on ITV, while Sky’s decision to linger the camera on Dragon Symbol’s trainer Archie Watson as he exited stage left after the stewards’ decision to place his runner second felt a tad churlish.

Massive credit to Watson, who congratulated Campanelle’s trainer Wesley Ward and acted with huge dignity. Nothing to see here folks.

The difference between winning and losing boiled down to far more than merely a horse handling the ground on day four, with jockeyship at a premium.

Mark Crehan was the first rider of the day to take an alternate view on where to race in the rain-soaked ground in the Albany, going alone on the stands’ rail, and was vindicated by finishing a close third on Oscula.

However, it was perhaps not a surprise that a rider with more than 1,000 wins to his name was in front at the finish. What was more of a surprise was that it was just David Probert’s second winner at the royal meeting.

A more dependable rider you could not find, and the only thing he’s missed in a career that has stood the test of time is a star horse to put his name in lights. Well he might just have found it with Sandrine, who he nursed beautifully into contention before putting it to bed.

Probert was quick to thank owner-breeder Kirsten

Rausing for keeping him on the filly after the pair had won on debut. Others have been persuaded to look elsewhere in the past but this win will do no harm in encouraging more connections to stick with him in the future. They won’t be disappointed.

Riders took the ‘Willie Carson route’ into Swinley Bottom on the round course and perhaps the one who came out of it strongest on the day was Alenquer in the King Edward VII.

He had already beaten subsequent Derby winner Adayar at Sandown and, considering the Derby was run on good to soft, it is only natural to wonder what might have been for him had he made it to Epsom.

He has the ability to sustain his top gear for a long period and, while stablemate Mohaafeth is earmarked for ten-furlong Group 1s, Alenquer may yet get his day in the Classic limelight over

1m6½f at Doncaster in September. What ground he will face there is anyone’s guess.