Raise A Ruckus awarded McKenzie Cup
Determined filly Sweat Trail, ridden by champion jockey Dick Cardenas, got up in time to win the $786,500 LC McKenzie Cup Open Allowance feature by a neck at Caymanas Park yesterday.
The taste of victory was, however, shortlived. Sweat Trail, the 2-1 second favourite, was winning at this level for the first time but had her colours lowered after an objection and placed fifth.
Second past the post Raise A Ruckus was placed first while Sweat Trail was placed out of the frame for an incident approaching the home turn that involved the 22-1 chance Uncle Donny, who placed fifth, ridden by claiming apprentice Renardo McNaughton.
Raise A Ruckus, the 8-5 favourite ridden by Winston Griffiths for trainer Philip Feanny, was winning for the first time this season from eight starts and looked the likely winner after turning for home with stablemate Reasonable Press, ridden by Aaron Chatrie, and Jet Setter, Shane Ellis up, a step behind.
Deep into the final 100m Raise A Ruckus began to look marginally ahead of Reasonable Press and Jet Setter, who formed an almost straight line across the track.
They were suddenly joined by Sweat Trail, who came with a stirring run along the running rails to form a foursome with a 16th remaining to the line.
Both Raise A Ruckus and Sweat Trail began to move away from both Jet Setter and Reasonable Press. At 51.0 kg, Sweat Trail had the handicaps in her favour and inched away for what should have been a narrow but telling win.
Following the disqualification of Sweat Trail, Jet Setter — who finished third — moved up to second; Reasonable Press, who finished fourth, moved to third, with Uncle Donny grabbing fourth spot and Sweat Trail fifth in the field of 10. Eleven runners was declared but Cold Ground was a late non-starter.
Owned by Houston Stables, Raise A Ruckus, a five-year-old chestnut horse by Graeme Hall out of Likely Ruckus (Bold Ruckus) and bred by Eugene Melnyk in the USA, was winning for the eighth time from 24 career starts and earned $429,400 as the winner’s share for earnings of $5,324,050 lifetime.
