THERE was a delay to declaring ‘correct weight’ in the Stony Creek Cup on Sunday, March 10 after the rider of the runner-up Fam Gorman, Matthew Cartwright, protested against the winner Confrontational for interference from the home turn to the concluding stages of the race.
The rider of the winner Paul Gatt for the trainer Jason Warren was credited with a superb ride, saving ground with a weaving ride through the small, six-horse field before hitting the front in the last 150 metres and going away from the leading bunch initially, headed by the more fancied runners Fam Gorman and Starspangled Baby, the race favourite and then holding off Fam Gorman at the finish.
The Craig Newett-ridden Starspangled Baby was expected to do well, after going to the start line as favourite, but there was also a late bet on the second-placed horse Fam Gorman of $4000 to win, the biggest bet of the day. However, the punters had to settle for second in a race where every horse had a chance to win.
Winning jockey, Paul Gatt, was very pleased with the result noting that it was nice to see that the six-year-old by Redoute's Choice still had it after winning the 2020 Roderick Insurance Brokers Geelong Classic over 2200 metres, a listed race with $140,000 in prize money.
However, after a delay while the stewards questioned the jockeys and watched the replay, they dismissed the protest and Confrontation was declared the winner of the 2024 Ladbrokes Stony Creek Cup and a first-placed cheque of $85,000.
The voice of the Melbourne Cup, Matt Hill described it as a "terrific day of racing at Stony Creek" while paying tribute to the way that local clubs get behind the running of the event.
"It was a bit hot but that didn't affect the enthusiasm for the day," said Matt Hill afterwards.
Winning jockey of the last race, Fred Kersley on Grinzinger, acknowledged that it was a long, hot day at the Creek, with organisers spacing the races out 40 minutes between runs to allow people additional time to beat the heat.
“It was a bit frustrating having to wait around between races and it was bone dry out there (in the last race) so I didn’t work him too hard in the run to the line,” said Kersley.
The ride of the day at Stony Creek, notwithstanding the effort of Gatt on the cup winner, was awarded to Jake Noonan on Pick the Seam who found himself 12 lengths off them on the turn in Race 4 but managed to find space in the straight and rocketed past the whole field for the best of wins.
