Helmet gave trainer Peter Snowden and jockey Kerrin McEvoy Sydney’s juvenile triple crown when he took out an extraordinary Champagne Stakes at Randwick.
The AJC Sires’ Produce Stakes winner two weeks ago, Helmet looked to have Saturday’s Group One 1600m feature in his keeping in the straight where he had established a clear lead.
But the Exceed And Excel colt seemed to resent being hit with the whip and ducked out sharply, nearly dislodging McEvoy.
The jockey showed remarkable horsemanship to stay in the saddle and straighten Helmet who held off the fast-finishing Pane In The Glass whose rider Jim Byrne fired in a protest which was dismissed.
“Lucky I had my `grippy’ saddle on,” McEvoy said.
“I probably shouldn’t have hit him with the whip.
“Anyway he got the job done.”
Snowden described the incident as “just unfortunate”.
“He just shot himself in the foot again,” he said.
“We’ve just got to get that bug out of his system.
McEvoy also rode Helmet in his Sires’ success after capturing the Golden Slipper on Sepoy.
AAP TURF
