Heartbreak at Otaki: Road To Paris drops rider metres from victory

If there was ever a case of never counting your cash before the winning post, it came for favourite backers with Road To Paris at Otaki on Sunday.

The $3.40 favourite appeared certain to score a narrow victory in the Wellington Stakes when he shied at the winning post only a few strides from victory.

Road To Paris dislodged Masa Hashizume as he veered out and crashed into Ammirati, who became the unwitting Group 3 winner in the dramatic final 20 metres.

“It’s Road To Paris in front. He said au revoir,” racecaller Justin Evans said just when victory looked assured.

Only for the call to continue. “Oh, he has run out, he’s dropped the rider. Oh my goodness.”

It was so close to the line that stewards had to ascertain whether Hashizume still had contact with the reins at the post, which he did not.

There were only noses between Ammirati, runner up Tulsa King, who protested unsuccessfully, and Landman, who charged up on the fence and avoided the carnage in the middle of the track.

“It’s a funny old game,” trainer Steve Marsh’s stable representative and bloodstock manager Dylan Johnson said.

“It was a good performance from the horse. He was under a bit of pressure from the 600 metres but he just kept finding and he was actually starting to pick the favourite up in that last little bit before everything happened.

“It’s an unusual way to win the race but it will go in the book.”