KOOLMAN

Heavily backed favourite Bon Hoffa survived a protest to claim a Group I breakthrough in the $350,000 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on Saturday.

Celebrations for trainer Wendy Kelly and jockey Vlad Duric were temporarily put on hold as they fought to keep the race in the stewards’ room.

Brad Rawiller, riding the runner-up Niconero, lodged an objection on the grounds the winner took his running at the 200-metre mark.

At the end of a hearing that lasted less than 15 minutes, chief steward Des Gleeson conceded interference did happen but it was not severe enough to reverse the placings.

“Whilst interference did occur, given the three-quarters of a length winning margin, it did not affect the result of the race,” Gleeson said.

Kelly, who trains a small team at Cranbourne, described the victory – her first at racing’s elite level – as her biggest thrill.

“He’s just a sensational horse,” she said after leading Bon Hoffa back to scale.

For Duric, who rides mostly on Victoria’s provincial and country circuit, Saturday’s triumph was also his first in a Group I race after 15 years as a jockey.

“I’ve come close a few times and I hope this puts my name up into lights a bit more.”

Bon Hoffa, a five-year-old, kept his winning strike-rate at better than 50 percent.

The son of Belong To Me has now won eight races in 14 starts and Saturday’s victory took his stakes over $500,000.