New South Wales central west based harness racing caller Michael Dumsney was right on the money at Wagga Wagga earlier this week.
As the leading bunch in the Riverina Security Solutions Ladyship Pace hit the line, Dumsney declared "this is close – these three have hit the line completely locked together."
From the naked eye it appeared a triple dead heat could have been on the cards in what was the closest finish seen at the track in the past 12 months.
Dumsney further added: "This is an absolute rib tickler."
After some deliberation, the judges were unable to separate long shots Majoress Jujon ($51) who flashed home down the outside, and Shes Courageous ($26) aided by a sprint lane passage. Those pair were just millimetres (the official margin being a nose) In front of third placegetter Seattle Trace ($26). And just a further neck away was $4 chance Florist in fourth spot.
One of the favored runners in Dancing Chick (Neil Day) looked set to take the lead halfway down the straight and get the job done. But she galloped and put herself out of contention.
Gerard Cooper, trainer-driver of Majoress Jujon, said he didn't think he was going to be in it until Dancing Chick blew her chances.
"We wouldn't have won if that didn't happen – it's the first dead-heat I've been in and I actually thought I'd gone down," Cooper said later.
Shes Courageous, who raced behind the leader before darting up the sprint lane, continued a successful run for Junee based connections winning her seventh race for owner Sarah White and her uncle, well-known trainer Trevor White.
Driver Miranda McLaughlin has formed a great combination with Shes Courageous, with three recent wins and four placings from seven starts.
Dumsney, who recently took over from longtime Riverina race calling legend Allan Hull, was kept on his toes with just a half neck separating the first two horses in both races two and five.
Terry Gange
NewsAlert PR Mildura