Punt Road Disco clinches Cup on protest

Consistent harness racing placegetter Punt Road Disco emerged the victor in the Burnie Cup at the Wivenhoe Showground last night courtesy of a protest that gave his trainer Andrew Rawlings his first win in the race.

Punt Road Disco was the emergency for the race and only gained a start courtesy of the withdrawal of Soo Special that had to be scratched when his trainer Nathan Ford had his appeal against a disqualification dismissed by the Racing Appeals Board on Friday.

The Kent Rattray-trained Karalta Dazzler led but his driver Wade Rattray allowed his charge to drift wide on the home turn that led to the wheel of his sulky locking with the wheel of Chief Destroyer that looked set to claim him 100 metres from home.

When the wheels of both sulkies unlocked Karalta Dazzler darted back towards the inside marker pegs that caused interference to Punt Road Disco that was powering home inside of Karalta Dazzler.

However, Karalta Dazzler made a lunge on the line to defeat Punt Road Disco with outsider Pushkin third ahead of Chief Destroyer.

Protests were lodged by the drivers of Chief Destroyer (Paul Ashwood) and Punt Road Disco (Rohan Hillier) claiming interference in the home straight.

After a lengthy stewards' inquiry Hillier's protest was upheld while Ashwood's objection was dismissed.

"That's my first Burnie Cup win and even though it was on protest I'll take it," Rawlings said.

"It sort of makes up for a Burnie Cup I thought I would win on protest as a driver a number of years ago when I was second on a horse named Return Flight and I was confident I would get the protest but it didn't happen."

"When we settled well back in the field tonight I thought we had little hope a lap from home but the runs came and he finished off brilliantly and in the end he deserved to get the result," he said.

Punt Road Disco is owned by Peter Walker in partnership with Dianne Hampton. It was the gelding's first win since September last year.