The only thing certain after the Enfield Maiden Steeplechase at Riccarton yesterday was that Nana won.
Behind her was chaos.
Five of the six other starters fell. Two jockeys broke collarbones in the falls. Two of the fallen horses were remounted by jockeys, though one was remounted by a jockey who had fallen off another horse.
The only horse other than Nana not to fall was Whats His Name, but he didn't jump the last two fences.
It took stipendiary stewards 30 minutes to sort it out and declare Nana the winner by 128 lengths from Whats His Name.
He was able to retain second because patrolling stewards signalled to his jockey, Tom Hazlett, not to jump the last two fences because of the danger of hitting fallen horses.
Whats His Name had been plodding along in fifth place 100m from the fourth horse with three fences to jump.
After Mala Strana and About Time, who were battling for second place, fell at the second-to-last fence, he was a distant third.
Then Son Of The Oak fell at the last fence, leaving Whats His Name second.
About Time's jockey, Raymond Eynon, remounted and finished third.
Ice Pack crossed the line fourth, but was disqualified for not completing the course correctly. He was brought down in the race's first fall, and was remounted by George Strickland who had fallen from Mala Strana.
"That was a bit weird. We are not sure why that happened. It added to the confusion," said presiding steward Stewart Ching.
The result was declared with no fourth placing, so the first-four dividend - for picking the first four horses in correct order - was paid to any punter who had the first three.
Jockeys Stewart Moir and Daniel Stackhouse were taken to hospital with suspected broken collarbones.
"Everyone was so far apart and the distances made it difficult to review it all on the cameras," Ching said.
"But we had people on the track watching, so we were able to do it the proper way.
"It was one of the more bizarre races I have to deal with."
- NZPA
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