Deja vu proving to be expensive!

FOR the second time in three starts Expensive Ego has lost a Group race on protest.

Last month the classy pacer was on the wrong side of Inter Dominion history when he was first past the Club Menangle winning post only to lose the prestigious Final on protest.

It’s the first time the Championship has been lost on protest since its inception in 1936.

Fast forward to tonight’s Tabcorp Park Melton meeting and the Belinda McCarthy-trained stallion was once again the ‘winner’, this time in the Group Two Casey Classic.

Driven by Chris Alford, Expensive Ego scored by a head from Triple Eight, with the gelding’s driver, Greg Sugars, immediately lodging a protest.

Sugars believed Expensive Ego caused interference by drifting up the track.

After a short deliberation stewards upheld the protest.

“It’s not the way you want to win any race, let alone a Group race, but that’s how it is,” trainer Jess Tubbs said.

“You’ve got to feel for the connections of Expensive Ego, but our responsibility is to our owners, who can now celebrate the win.

“He has been racing so well and deserved a good win like this.”

With the amended placings reading Triple Eight, Expensive Ego and Major Roll, the rate for the 2240-metre trip is 1:53.9.

Expected to enjoy “an easy day or two”, Triple Eight will return to the venue for next week’s A G Hunter Cup.

“As long as he comes through tonight’s run in good order he will be in the Hunter Cup,” Tubbs said.

“All going well, it will then be on to Menangle for the Miracle Mile Carnival a couple of weeks later.”