Dramatic match race involving 1-6 favourite ends in remarkable dead-heat

Tuesday: Wolverhampton

There was a dramatic end to proceedings at Wolverhampton as the closing 1m½f handicap (7.50), a match race between 1-6 favourite Golden Sands and Havana Goldrush, a 4-1 chance, ended in a dead-heat.

The dead-heat call came after five minutes of deliberation from judge David Hicks with a stewards' inquiry called to ascertain whether there had been interference between the Stan Moore-trained outsider ridden by Liam Keniry, seeking his 1,000th winner in Britain, and Joe Fanning aboard Charlie and Mark Johnston's long odds-on favourite.

7.50 Wolverhampton: full result and race replay

Following a further 15 minutes, an announcement was made at 8.15pm, 25 minutes after post-time, stating that the places remained unaltered and therefore sealing a landmark 1,000th winner in Britain for Keniry in the most absurd of circumstances.

Keniry, who returned to riding only in January following a serious leg break, summed up the rarity of the situation when speaking to Sky Sports Racing as the lights were being turned out at the Midlands venue.

Liam Keniry: rider sealed a landmark 1,000th winner in Britain with a dramatic dead-heatCredit: Getty Images

Keniry said: "I wouldn't imagine a two-horse race being a dead-heat – I'm not sure if that's happened before really. It was good to ride it for Stan [Moore] as they've given me a lot of rides over my career."

Match race madness

Keniry's estimate was a fair assertion as you have to go all the way back to August 2012 for the last time a match resulted in a dead-heat.

Martin Harley, riding Ayaar for Mick Channon, and Frankie Dettori aboard the 1-2 Godolphin-owned Snowboarder could not be split in a 7f novice stakes at Lingfield.

Historically, the most notable two-runner dead-heat took place in the Lowther Stakes at Newmarket on October 14, 1920 between Pomme De Terre and Torelore, two high-class horses who started joint-favourites at even-money.

The in-running comments

Golden Sands (1-6f)

Took keen hold, led, faced challenge from 3f out, shaken up over 2f out, headed over 1f out, pushed along and bit short of room inside final furlong, kept on, forced dead-heat

Havana Goldrush (4-1)

Close up, pressed leader from 3f out, pushed along and led narrowly over 1f out, ridden and hung left inside final furlong, joined post

Results, replays and analysis

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