Brad Widdup, who has endured his share of tough close finishes on the track, has clinched a rare victory via the stewards’ room with his progressive mare, Mind Ya Bizz.
The four-year-old mare was initially placed second past the post in Saturday’s Petaluma Handicap over 1400 metres, finishing a half-head behind Transcend.
Transcend pips Mind Ya Bizz on the line! pic.twitter.com/Vxnhbco93k
— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) August 15, 2026
Following the race, jockey Zac Lloyd, the rider of Mind Ya Bizz, lodged a protest against Tommy Berry, who was aboard Transcend. Lloyd contended that his mount was subjected to a ‘severe bump’ by Transcend in the final strides.
“I’ve nearly fallen off my horse,” Lloyd reported to the stewards. “My horse has definitely come off second best in the bump.”
Berry, however, argued that Transcend had approached from a significant distance and possessed momentum. He stated to the stewards, “I believe the rightful winner has won the race.”
The panel of stewards, headed by chief stipe Tom Moxon, viewed the incident differently. They deemed the contact ‘heavy’ and upheld Lloyd’s objection, thereby changing the race result.
Widdup, who has experienced heartbreak in close finishes, notably with Icebath in prestigious events like the Golden Eagle, Doncaster Mile, and Cantala Stakes before her eventual Group 1 success in the Empire Rose Stakes in 2022, was relieved.
“You never want to win in the stewards’ room, but I think there was enough there,” Widdup commented. “There was a definite bump, and it was a close finish, so it was common sense.”
Mind Ya Bizz holds a special place in the stable, being from the same family as Widdup’s former smart mare Tintookie, who tragically died during a race day fall at the Golden Slipper meeting two years ago.
He believes Mind Ya Bizz has inherited the family’s talent. The mare is due for a spell, but she will be considered for the 2027 Provincial-Midway Championships.
“She’s still in that. If I can have those sort of bullets firing, we’ll have a look at it,” Widdup explained.
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