Over the years, the sport of horse racing has had a number of rigging incidents. These incidents, although rare, end up giving the sport a bad rap. While some are subtle and quite difficult to identify, others are just too evident. Despite no official announcements from the authorities, lovers of the sport believe that one such incident unfolded recently.
According to equestrian enthusiasts and even a celebrated jockey, a race at Belterra Park seems to have left a bitter taste in the mouth of racing fans. With the help of replays, fans believe they witnessed something out of the usual.
Belterra Park race under doubts
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In a shocking turn of events at Belterra Park, a race that seemed like a clear victory took an unexpected twist, leaving equestrian fans in an uproar. As the jockey leading the race approached the finish line, he inexplicably stood up just before the wire. This surprising move allowed another horse, Hilbily Logic, ridden by jockey John Mckee, to clinch the win. It didn’t take long for the racing community to react to the peculiar turn of events. Speculations of foul play and suggestions that the race might have been fixed allegedly flooded Twitter.
What is happening here @Belterra ummm calling Stewards…. pic.twitter.com/ybETtKlqpo
— Chantal Sutherland (@jockeychantal) August 2, 2023
Among those who voiced their concerns was none other than the celebrated Canadian jockey, Chantal Sutherland, who has amassed an impressive career tally of over $59 million in winnings. Sutherland, who has an illustrious record of 23 graded stakes victories and more than 1200 career wins, took to Twitter and shared a video of the incident. She captioned the post, “What is happening here @Belterra ummm calling Stewards…,” and tagged the official Twitter account of Belterra Park. She made her views clear and started a chain reaction with her tweet. Gradually, other equestrian fans joined in and reacted to her tweet with their own opinions.
Equestrian fans express disappointment at Belterra Park’s race
In the wake of Sutherland’s tweet, equestrian enthusiasts poured in with their reactions. One user remarked on the apparent showboating by the leading jockey and tweeted,
he thought he was home and decided to showboat . but no excuse
— tommy massis (@tommyhammer) August 2, 2023
Another fan pointed toward the jockey’s lack of work ethic and wrote,
And then he was too proud to get back to work
— stefan (@BokkaL95) August 2, 2023
Another user highlighted his disappointment by tweeting
Waiting for the other horse to win 😂
— Mike Goodrich (@CoachGoodrich) August 2, 2023
A disappointed fan indicated a lack of sportsmanship by the leading jockey and wrote,
Hard to support/defend a sport with Zero integrity like this. Revoke his license for 5 years. Nationwide. Banned from all tracks
— CarneAsada14 (@Asada14Carne) August 2, 2023
One user commented on the integrity of the action and tweeted,
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My barn policy is that if you quit riding and stand up before the wire like this, you never get on another horse for me.
— bite me. (@fasterhorses98) August 2, 2023
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As the Twitter storm continues, Belterra Park’s stewards are sure to investigate the matter thoroughly to uphold the sport’s integrity and ensure fair play. Meanwhile, the alleged incident has sparked a larger conversation about the importance of sportsmanship and responsibility in the racing world. The racing community awaits the stewards’ decision, hoping that measures will be taken to maintain the spirit of competition and respect for the sport.
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