In an unprecedented decision, stewards have elected to overturn a dead heat result in the fifth race at Flemington racecourse on Saturday afternoon, due to overuse of the whip on Blake Shinn's mount My Yankee Girl.
Jamie Kah (Invincible Caviar) and Blake Shinn (My Yankee Girl) couldn't be split in the photo finish going past the post and produced a dead heat for punters, before Racing Victoria Stewards decided to review the patrol footage to find Blake Shinn in severe breach of overuse of the whip use violation.
Watch Invincible Caviar & My Yankee Girl Dead-Heat at Flemington
Blake Shinn was interviewed post-race by stewards and watching the footage argued he misjudged the 100-metre marker on My Yankee Girl.
“Look I misjudged it, the 100m, that's all I can say.” Said Shinn in the aftermath.
While Jamie Kah was brief in her summary of what unfolded with Invincible Caviar.
“It's obvious he's gone over and in consecutive strides before the hundred, and I've kept mine to the minimum under the rules at least.” Said Kah
After a lengthy decision, VRC Chief steward Robert Cram spoke to all involved with media personnel alongside eagerly awaiting the decision.
“Stewards have considered the matter and after listening to the evidence and reviewing the patrol footage, stewards are in the view that Blake Shinn did use the whip in a total of 27 occasions” said VRC Chief steward Robert Cram
“For which there was 12 prior to the 100m and about six conscecutive prior to the 100m. It is our view that you have gained an advantage by breaching the whip rules and by breaching Australian rule of racing 132-7.”
“Our view is that had you not breached those whip rules then Invincible Caviar would've finished ahead of My Yankee Girl. Therefore, the objection is upheld, and the amended placings are made.”
With that marks a moment in racing history with this being the first action taken by VRC stewards to affect a result rather than what's been mandatory fines and suspensions in the past, in what could be setting a precedent moving forward for Australian racing.