Gai Waterhouse trained-Marseille Roulette has taken out the $250,000 Inglis Classic (1200m) at Rosehill on Saturday.
The son of former Golden Slipper runner-up Zizou has to survive a protest lodged by James McDOnald who rode the race favourite Fuerza.
McDonald claimed that he was “robbed of my rightful running” when Marseille Roulette veered off the track insdie the 100m mark and Fuerza “was forced to switch to the inside and the colt lost his momentum”.
While agreeing Marseille Roulette had shifted, chief steward Ray Murrihy said he was the required two lengths clear.
“It is clear the horse has shifted but it is two lengths clear,” Murrihy said.
“We cannot agree there are grounds to uphold a protest. The horse is well clear.”
After the race, Waterhouse said to Richard Callendar that she has worked very hard on the horse. Marseille Roulette only had a 740m barrier trial earlier this month in which Waterhouse believed he hadn’t tried quite hard enough.
Marseille Roulette defeated Fuerza by half-head with two lengths to Direct Charge in third.
By Owens Wong
