There was a dramatic dead heat finish to the R1.5 mllion SA Derby at Turffontein on Saturday with the result going to the stewards room.

Pomodoro under jockey Gavin Lerena got up in the last stride of the 2450m contest to dead heat with Royal Bencher (Anton Marcus) but the judge had barely declared the result when the stewards called for a race review and lodged an objection on behalf of Royal Bencher.

After the hearing the objection was over-ruled and the shared result stood.

The Alec Laird trained Royal Bencher was one of the first to show from the start while Sean Tarry's Pomodoro was all of 10 lengths back early on.

The Club King dashed to an eight lengths lead, pursued by Blaze Of Fire, Ice Trigger, Changing Moon and Royal Bencher, while Pomodoro was some 15 lengths off the pace.

On the final turn, the field swallowed up The Club King as Royal Bencher took a route up the middle of the track with Lerena taking Pomodoro up on his inside.

The stewards observed that Pomodoro had bumped Royal Bencher just before the line and objected on the latter's behalf.

The particular steward that lodges an objection is not allowed to sit at the ensuing inquiry and his colleagues over ruled the objection after viewing the film and taking evidence.