Shining Smile ($6.50) and Tentyris ($31.00) have hit the line in unison to share honours in the Listed Talindert Stakes (1100m) at Flemington on Saturday afternoon, with the latter surviving a protest lodged post-race.
Shining Smile was attempting to make every post a winner to secure back-to-back wins for the Lindsay Park team, while the Godolphin colt was looking to bounce back after a disappointing debut at Sandown on February 1.
Shining Smile appeared to do enough in the concluding stages, however, Tentyris put in a late lunge, with the final stride being enough for the pair to split the winner’s prize.
There was alleged interference in the final 50m according to team Hayes, however, stewards were quick to stick with the dead-heat result as Chief Steward Rob Montgomery explained.
“The stewards have given consideration to the interference near the 50m,” said Montgomery.
“Tentyris (Mark Zahra) does shift in on your mount (Daniel Stackhouse, Shining Smile). We can’t be satisfied that any brush had a bearing on the result of the race, therefore, the protest is dismissed.”
Will Hayes was on course to discuss the victory on behalf of Lindsay Park and suggested protest may have been lodged in vain.
“We’re going to treat that like a win….well, he did – it was a dead heat for first,” said Hayes.
“We thought we’d try and have a throw at the stumps. Even though the interference was insignificant, we weren’t disputing a margin.
“I thought it was a terrific ride by Daniel (Stackhouse). He rated him perfectly, it was two good horses going at it.
“I believe that if ‘Stacky’ was able to use the whip we do probably get the bob of the head but, at the end of the day, the two horses have run great races and they’re in the same boat as we are right now as to what they do next week.”
Sam Freedman then spoke post-race after sharing the honours.
“I thought we did get beat and then it was a long wait,” said Freedman.
“To the horse’s credit, he’s turned it around. He’d been trialling really well leading into his first run, he just got it wrong, which colts can do on debut, but made really good steps forward.
“The stallion (Street Boss) can get a two-year-old, so it’s nice to see this one stand up.
“I’ll Chat with Andy (Makiv) and Jase (Walsh) and the team at Godolphin but we’ll let the dust settle and see how he pulls up (for the Blue Diamond).
“It’s a very different dynamic here down the straight where they amble up there, to go to a high pressure 1200 is a challenge but we’ll have a chat to the team and work it out.”
Tentyris is currently a $26.00 chance with horse racing bookmakers for next Saturday’s Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield.
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