Guineas dream alive for Exotic Sequel

Wednesday 12 December 2012, 5:04pm

Norm Hilton thinks Exotic Sequel is the right type for the Magic Millions Guineas but gaining a start will be his greatest challenge.

Exotic Sequel earned $11,050 for winning at Doomben on Wednesday but faces an uphill battle to make the field for the Guineas at the Gold Coast on January 12 for which prize money determines the order of entry.

"He's well down the list and will need to pick up some more prize money to make the field so I'll probably have to step him up to Saturday company and see if he can measure up," Hilton said.

"I've got a good opinion of him though. He's a pleasure to work with and is a real push-button type.

"We had to start him off somewhere and this was the logical race."

Exotic Sequel had to survive a protest from Matthew Palmer aboard third placegetter Turvanna before being confirmed as the winner.

Palmer said Exotic Sequel, ridden by Ron Goltz, had shifted in abruptly at the 800m causing him to severely check Turvanna.

"At no stage was I given any clear running going into the first turn and the interference cost me in the vicinity of two lengths," Palmer told stewards at the protest hearing.

Turvanna's trainer Danny Bougoure said Goltz had failed to give the necessary room to runners on his inside before gaining the lead.

"When Ron made a beeline for the fence he wasn't two lengths clear as the rule states he must be," Bougoure said.

Exotic Sequel scored by a long neck over Tiger Jet and Goltz said the interference suffered by Turvanna, who was another 1-1/4 lengths away third, was minimal.

"I might've shaved Matthew Palmer's horse but there's no way known it has cost him the race," Goltz said.

Acting chairman of stewards, Jamie Dart, told Palmer he had grounds to lodge an objection but ultimately there were two overwhelming factors against his argument.

"Bearing in mind where the interference occurred and the margin involved, we can't be comfortably satisfied the protest should be upheld," Dart said.

At a subsequent inquiry, Goltz pleaded guilty to careless riding in the race and was suspended for seven meetings.

He will return to the saddle on December 29.

– AAP

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