| You couldn't blame leading
Adelaide jockey Joe Bowditch for not wanting to order duck when he next dines at a chinese
restaurant after a day in the saddle in the near future. On Saturday Bowditch and his mount Red Labelle were "robbed"
of victory in the listed Feltex Queen Adelaide Stakes by ducks. Yes, that's right those
adorable little feathery birds that go "quack."
Red Labelle, a member of the Mark Minervini stable, was all
set for a deserved victory in the $40,200 race when all of a sudden her momentum was
halted after a group of ducks decided a mercy dash to the centre of the Cheltenham
Racecourse was in order.
In a result which cost connections over $30,000 in
prizemoney, instead of winning the race Red Labelle would finish third, a short half head
and nose from the winner Westace.
While Bowditch, Minervini and the owners of Red Labelle were
fuming in the minutes following the drama, mother and father duck and their young family
happily found their way to the waterway in the centre of the track to escape the hot
conditions.
While the racing action continued during the afternoon
officials summonsed a guard to watch over the ducks while they retreated to the pond. And
despite someone attempting to convince me otherwise I can guarantee the official's name
was not Donald!
Oh and we are pleased to report that incredibly no ducks were
injured in the incident. Although when learning of that Bowditch summed up the situation
perfectly. "That's a pity isn't it." |
