Dramatic turn of events at Newton Abbot leads to unlikely winner for Mitchell Bastyan

Keith Hamer
July 2, 2021 5:38 pm

Three-pound claimer was last-minute replacement for injured Bryan Carver.

Mitchell Bastyan ended up on the winning horse, Kubinski, in the concluding bumper following a dramatic sequence of events at Newton Abbot.

The 3lb claimer steered Chris Honour’s newcomer home over two rivals in the two-mile-one-furlong contest after his scheduled mount, Aussie Moon, was withdrawn and Kubinski’s intended partner, Bryan Carver, was injured on the way to the start.

Carver was treated on track and taken to hospital for further assessment on a possible back injury.

Aussie Moon had been declared a non runner after it transpired the wrong horse had been brought from Milton Harris’ stable.

Bastyan stayed on track and was rewarded with an unusual spare ride.

He was a last-minute replacement after Carver – who also claims 3lb – was thrown from 4-9 favourite Kubinski as he cantered to the start.

It quickly became apparent Carver would be unable to compete and the stewards allowed him to be substituted by Bastyan.

Kubinski behaved impeccably during the race and eventually got the better of long-time leader Gorcombe Moonshine by five lengths.

Honour, who owns as well as trains Kubinski locally, said: “You couldn’t make it up.

“Hopefully, fingers crossed Bryan is all right, that’s the main thing. He’s fallen and hurt his back.

“He was put on a spinal board for precaution. He said his back was hurting, but he said he could move everything so fingers crossed he’s OK.

“I was told they’d got another jockey so I said ‘let’s go’. I’ve never met Mitch Bastyan before. He’s gone out there and won a race for me. It’s great – an amazing turn of events.”

He added of the winner: “He ran very green, but he’s a nice horse and he’s going to the sales. He’ll be a lot of fun for somebody. I’d love to keep him, but I have to try to make things pay. He’ll improve a lot on what he’s done today.

“He’s a nice, big scopey horse. He hasn’t beaten much today but he gallops, is going forward and jumps a hurdle really well.”