I Salute You has been elevated to Grade 2 status following the disqualification of Okavango from the G2 Premier Trophy, a decision that has reshaped the official record but left the betting outcome unchanged.

Okavango, prepared by Justin Snaith, was removed from the result after returning a prohibited substance, triggering the automatic revision of placings under international racing rules. As a result, I Salute You is now confirmed as the winner, giving trainer Peter Muscutt a deserved Grade 2 success, with Craig Zackey recorded as the winning jockey.

Behind him,  Regulation has been promoted to second, while The Equator now fills third place.

While the revised result has caused frustration among punters, particularly those who backed the new winner or places for Regulation and The Equator, the process follows long-established global protocol. Betting payouts are final once a race is declared official on the day, meaning wagers cannot be recalculated, refunded, or reissued, even when a subsequent disqualification alters the placings. The original winner remains paid for betting purposes only.

From a sporting and administrative standpoint, however, the consequences are severe. All prize money earned by Okavango is forfeited, with the same applying to the trainer and jockey. That includes Oisin Murphy, whose brilliant front-running ride initially delivered victory but is now wiped from the South African record books.

It is an uncomfortable but unavoidable reality of modern racing: while the integrity process runs its course long after raceday, the betting result remains frozen in time