Trained at Norton by Tony Coyle and Kane Wood, 25-1 Shot Thunder Roar passed the post in first place on the 38,000-pound Doncaster Spring Mile to be kicked out to second place after a steward inquiry.
It must have been a close call for officials as Thunder Roar and ultimate winner, 50-1 shot Pearl Eye, scored the same gap.
Norton's horse, riding on Tom Eves, was able to get there first, and gain a slight advantage, to be able to hold his short head from staying rival.
What the steward had to decide was whether the operation would spend the pearl's eyes on the race. Most critics thought it wasn't, but the stewards thought it wasn't, and their opinions will be tested in a few days.
Ironically, Thunder Roar was the unlucky second in the same race in 2024.
Saturday's race was certainly an exciting race, with six horses having the chance to make their final appearance in the Furlong, but in the final stage it evolved into a two-way duel held by Norton's horse.
The Thunderroll, previously trained by Kevin Ryan, was purchased for £16,000 in May 2023 and won four races with new connections and some unfortunate efforts.
His form shows he prefers soft grounds, and after passing the post first on Saturday, Coyle admitted:
“I finally decided to take him a chance, and I told Tom to drop him right away and ride him to make him run well.
“It's a shame that Steward disqualified him. It's been the second year in a row that he finished second in this race, and last year was unlucky!”
Thunder Roar's main target is the precious handicap of Royal Ascot in June, but if he has a soft ground of his preference there, he needs to make it a wet summer.
Sunday at Doncaster was a more satisfying day for the local yards as they bagged two winners.
The first to attack was Lois Teal. Lois Thiel has partnered with Heartwood to win William Hill NRNB in the Grand National Amateur Rider Handicap.
Send 13-2 in a victory at Newcastle in the previous start, Lois produced a powerful slow run to get him up into the final furlong and beat Cebuspencer-trained Mr. Jetman in two lengths.
Though she was the second winner at Lois' flat, she has some point-to-point winners in her credits, she had finished a great weekend for the Teal family.
Her brother Jack ran a successful point-to-point yard at Norton, earning the winner at Tranwell in Northumberland on Saturday and another winner at Ascumb Brian Point on Sunday.
The second rider-le-runner who attacked Doncaster on Sunday was a 25-1 shot stunage trained by Mick and David Easterby and rode by Joanna Mason, who shot Devil Walla 100-1 for the victory at Wolverhampton three days ago.
Standwalla fought for the 1st Division, a handicap at a reasonable price for William Hill 7 Furlong, and was the last on the way, so he went through the field and went up to the final furlong to beat the 33-1 shotwarm spell by half length.
The winner was racing for the Easter per team, purchased for 28,000 gns last October from John and Sadigosden's Newmarket Yard.
“That was a bit of a surprise,” David said afterwards. “He has some issues and full marks for Joanna, who worked with him a lot from home.”
The jump meeting in Newcastle on Monday proved a happier hunt for the local yard, especially for Norton's Ruth Jefferson.
She landed the memorable 1-2 at Sunday's lunch with a 7-1 shot mobile MAMMA riding on Jamie Hamilton, with the memorable 1-2 in a handicap chase for beginners of border minstrels, defeating 18-1 stable companion Gibber-piardothin in three lengths to make Chase's debut.
The winner was Hamilton's first leg of a double. Hamilton landed a golf membership at the Heigos Force Park Handicap Chase in Mark Walford's trained empty nest.
This is a big week for winning trainers as they send out their first runners in the Grade 1 contest at the Battle Contest, the Odd Shacker Sefton Beginner Hurdle held at Aintree on Friday.
Hamilton rode him to win both races in previous hurdles, but will be in the saddle again, which will be his second ride in a Grade 1 contest.
Arabic
Chinese (Simplified)
Dutch
English
French
German
Italian
Portuguese
Russian
Spanish