Racing: Stewards have a field day at Ellerslie

The Justice League knocks out his Boxing Day rivals. Photo / Trish Dunell

Boxing Day races are meant to pay for all those Christmas presents.

If you paid for all your goodies at Ellerslie on Monday you were either given the wrong ticket or you were backing the numbers on your partner's phone.

Overall, things didn't go exactly to plan. They were busy in the stewards room and, for everyone's sake, thank goodness the near protest in the $200,000 Zabeel Classic did not go ahead.

But Matt Cameron, Brendan Hutton and Tayla Wenn all got riding holidays. Cameron was suspended from Jan 2 to Jan 12 inclusive, six riding days, for causing interference late in the Zabeel Classic that certainly cost St Emilion third place.

Hutton also received six days on Devise in the Eight Carat Classic for allowing his mount to check the favourite Volpe Veloce at the end of 200m who was then forced onto Avec Moi. His suspension starts today and ends on Jan 3. Tayla Wenn received four days for causing home straight interference on Banrock in the last. Cameron and Michael Coleman received warnings in separate incidents.

Of the 131 horses that ran at Ellerslie on Monday a remarkable 94 were mentioned in the stewards' report - all 13 in the first race. Put big money on the line on a perfect racing surface and racing becomes extremely competitive.

Hasselhoof was found to have bled during the Zabeel Classic and as a result has a three month stand-down, which will require a trial before stewards to race again. Hollywood Lass will be required to trial before stewards before being allowed back to raceday after refusing to enter the barriers in Race 4, for which she was favourite.

Animator received a warning for racing manners and Bonneval has to trial to the satisfaction of stewards after taking no real part in the Eight Carat Classic.

Sound Proposition was found to have cardiac arrhythmia when he finished last in the Zabeel Classic. He requires a veterinary clearance before racing again.

Well, what's the old saying: "One losing day is one closer to a winning one." There is a mass of good racing coming up.

Nigel Tiley believes The Justice League can realise his full potential this preparation.

The Pukekohe trainer produced the four-year-old to knock out his Boxing Day rivals at Ellerslie and he now has his sights firmly set on a Trentham feature.

"I've got him in the Thorndon at Wellington, we're going to have a crack at some decent races with him," Tiley said.

"I've always thought that he was a very good horse."

The Justice League won the Wellington Guineas at Trentham last season before he crossed the Tasman to join Darren Weir's stable. However, he failed to fire in two starts, both at Caulfield.

"He just didn't come up in Australia so we made the call to bring him back," Tiley said.

While The Justice League has yet to race beyond a mile, he is expected to cope with more ground.

"He's in the Herbie Dyke Stakes as well and I'm convinced that he will get 2000 metres," Tiley said.