Racing: Maiden shows up the hot favourite

Leith Innes on Willie Ryan (right) wins the Triple Crown Cup ahead of Congaline (left) and America's Cup. Picture / Greg Bowker

Chris McNab produced the only maiden into yesterday's New Zealand Bloodstock Insurance Triple Crown Cup and thought it was a good thing.

At $44.40 few others did, but owner Ron Webby looked pretty animated after Willie Ryan got the better of a nose-nose decision over Congaline and America's Cup.

In finishing fourth, beaten only half a length, hot favourite Black Panther failed to keep his hopes alive for the $100,000 bonus, culminating with the $150,000 Great Northern Guineas in two weeks, and it hurt his connections more that a maiden won the race.

It was a rough-house race and most riders felt the field was too big to be racing on a strip so narrow - the rail was out 11.5m from its true position.

Winning rider Leith Innes was among those who said he suffered badly.

"I was following the horse I wanted to leaving the straight and it ran off wide, so I had to drop to the tail of the field.

"I decided to follow Vinny [Colgan on Black Panther] from the 600m, but horses were going everywhere, so I hooked out wide."

Willie Ryan made a line of three in front and after a desperate struggle from the 150m, got the best stride in right on the finish line.

Chris McNab has had Willie Ryan only eight weeks.

"I love this horse, I loved him the moment he walked in to the stable," he said.

"He's had no luck. Michelle Innes rode him two starts back and he should of won, although it wasn't Michelle's fault.

"Leith rode him last time and he'll tell you it wasn't one of his better rides. Wait until this horse draws a decent alley - you'll see something pretty good."

Willie Ryan will head to the Great Northern Guineas on Boxing Day then be aimed at the $600,000 Mercedes Derby at Ellerslie in March.

He showed yesterday that the 2400m of the Derby will prove ideal.

Andrew Calder, who rode America's Cup, was keen to lodge a protest against second-placed Congaline, alleging interference near the 600m.

Calder and trainer Roger James watched the head-on stipendiary video in the inquiry room before an urgent conflab with several of the horse's owners. They decided not to lodge a protest.

Noel Harris on Congaline moved off the rail at the 600m, posting America's Cup four wide at that point, but the horses did not appear to touch.

The same pair definitely did touch when America's Cup pushed Congaline down onto the rails position near the 1400m.

Under the circumstances both horses performed well.

Black Panther created more questions than answers. The instant zip that he showed when clearing a home-straight pocket to win the first of the triple crown races was missing entirely.

He got back in running and took a long time to wind up when Colgan angled him wide on the home bend.

It was not until inside the final 100m that Black Panther wound up fully and he ground to the line strongly, his last five strides being his best of the race.

"That proves you can't afford to get that far off them in a big field when the rail is that far out," said a philosophical trainer Richard Yuill.