Don't think so mate. The rear vision mirror is always clearer...

Don't think so mate. The rear vision mirror is always clearer than the windscreen. Looking back at a failed bet 15 years ago is hardly a winner in the credability stakes.
Getting back to the current race in question. The rider of the 2nd horse chose to ease his mount without contact, complete inexperience on behalf of the 3 kilogram claimer. The general consensus is that this was also a mitigating factor in the protest being dismissed. The rider of the 2nd horse chose to stop riding his horse when he didn't have to and didn't finish close enough to warrant winning the protest. It's very simple really.
1.5 lengths is a significant margin. Very simple. The margin in 2003 was also significant. Not rocket science mate.