ALL THE ACTION FROM EAGLE FARM

A review of the meeting at Eagle Farm yesterday.

RACE 1:

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Bryan Guy continues to send out a steady stream of winners. He visited the winners’ enclosure twice on the day, his first success coming in the form of French Penn, a four-year-old Noverre mare.

It was an honest, workmanlike win with French Penn doing enough in a race of muddling pace, without doing anything flash.

“The leaders went fast enough till the 1400m, but then they pulled it right back,” explained jockey Ric McMahon.

“They were still slow at the half mile, so I decided to pick up the tempo and went around them.

“In the straight it was still a battle. She doesn’t quicken up that much, but she just out-plugged the other horse (Chelle’s Alibi),” concluded McMahon.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Near the 600m, Chelle’s Alibi (G. Colless) shifted out to improve and in doing so forced French Penn, which had raced wide from the 800m, wider on the track.


RACE 2:

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Soulgen looked the part here and duly obliged under a confident ride by the in-form Christian Reith.

“Go to the front. Catch me if you can,” was Reith’s comment on the race tactics.

“That was easy,” was Reith’s comment on the result.

Soulgen won by an official four length margin.

Trainer Mick Mair was satisfied with Soulgen’s performance.

“He has been struggling. We found a nice little race for him and he came through. The blinkers (on first time) probably helped make the difference.”

Mair had planned to spell Soulgen after this run, but that turned into an enforced three month suspension after Soulgen was found to have bled after the race (see Stewards Report Extract)

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Near the 1000m, Desperates (D. Hayse) became unbalanced and shifted in, making heavy contact with the running rail and as a consequence shifted out and bumped Glad Tidings (L. Rolls). D. Hayse, rider of Desperates, reported that his mount shied at a bird which was directly in its path just prior to this incident. When questioned regarding the disappointing performance of Deputation, G. Colless stated that after beginning awkwardly his mount settled at the rear of the field, however when placed under pressure at the 600m, failed to race up to expectations. Trainer's representative S. Morrisey stated that the horse became extremely agitated in its race day stall, which he felt was the main contributing factor in the horse's poor performance. A post race veterinary examination of Deputation failed to reveal any significant abnormalities. Soulgen was found to have suffered a bleeding attack after the event, and in accordance with AR53A, the gelding will now be barred from racing for a period of 3 months.


RACE 3:

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Christian Reith might have had an easy ride on Soulgen, but he had to work hard to earn his percentage in his second win of the day, when he partnered the Kelly Schweida trained Specks Of Magic to a hard fought victory over the persistent challenge of Star Of Ombra and the eye-catching finish of the first-timer Baby Rock.

The favourite Solar Bound led into the home straight but failed to sustain her effort and weakened to finish well out of the placings.

“I couldn’t understand the betting, “said Schweida, whose winner paid $11,60 for a win on the tote. “My horse beat the favourite by four lengths the last time they met.”

Specks Of Magic did have another run since that previous encounter though. That lack-lustre effort at the Gold Coast went some way towards turning punters away from Specks Of Magic on this occasion.

But there was notable change of gear which made a difference.

“She had blinkers on at the coast and she just pulled herself into the ground,” explained Schweida.

Schweida reacted to Specks Of Magic’s show of dislike for blinkers by taking them off and that change of gear proved to be decisive in the outcome.

The early part of the race was as problematic for Reith as the finish was pressurised.

“I tried to go forward. I couldn’t get in,” explained Reith. “I tried to ease back, and then they kicked away ahead of me so I had to take it up again. He was three or deep the whole way and was galloped on. I did get some cover at the 700m, but I still couldn’t get in.

“Then we had to work all the way up the straight. It was a good tough win,” concluded Reith.

Schweida was waiting with one last jibe for Reith.

“Pity she didn’t pay $12,00 or more,” said Schweida mischievously. “I might have given you a sling if it paid $12,00 (the dividend was $11,60). What a shame!”

“You see, he wins and he still whinges,” was Reith’s quick reply.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Star Of Ombra (R. McMahon) raced wide for the majority of the event. When questioned regarding the disappointing performance of Solar Bound, G. Colless could offer no tangible explanation and confirmed his disappointment with the horse's performance. G. Colless gave an indication that Solar Bound may be sent for a spell. A post race veterinary examination of Solar Bound failed to reveal any significant abnormalities.


RACE 4:

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Montazoa was the second example on the day where the removal of blinkers arguably helped bring a change of fortune.

The John Wallace trained gelding only scored by the narrowest of margins, but the effort still represented a marked improvement on his previous two efforts.

“Johnny (Wallace) just said to me that I must ride him quiet,” said jockey Scott Galloway. “I managed to get him into a fifth placing on the rail (from a number nine draw) and that was the perfect position from which to mount a challenge in the straight.

“He kicked on well early but he did want to give it away late in the running, but his ability got him there,” continued Galloway.

“There’ll be a lot of improvement to come with this one, but he does need time.

“He could be a nice horse in about six months.”

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
S. Galloway, rider of Montazoa, was found guilty of a charge of careless riding, in that near the 800m he permitted his mount to shift in when insufficiently clear of Reve D’Or (R. McMahon), which resulted in Reve D’Or being checked. S. Galloway was suspended from riding in races for a period covered by 6 meetings, to commence at midnight, 31 August, and to expire at midnight, 6 September 2008. Leaving the 300m, Montazoa shifted out to improve around the heels of General Purple (S. Seamer) and in doing so bumped Elshama. GENERAL PURPLE (S. Seamer), NOTEVENOW (P. Hammersley) and LE MIRAGE (E. Wilkinson) raced wide throughout.


RACE 5:

WINNER FEEDBACK:
The New Zealand bred Eleda made it four wins in a row with powerful, eye-catching performance, coming from some way off the speed to win well.

Eleda was trainer Bryan Guy’s second winner at the meeting.

“We’ve only just been putting her through the grades,” explained Guy. “Now we will have to think about it a bit more. She just keeps answering the question and we will have a look at the bigger picture now as to where we can put her ability to the best use.”

Jockey Dean Tanti, who has had the ride throughout Eleda’s winning sequence, was both happy and relieved at the result.

“I ride her in all of her work so I know her really well,” said Tanti.

“We were always going to get back which was a worry with her only being a small mare carrying 57kg, but she responded well and came home very strongly.”

Eleda’s winning sequence started on June 28 in her first-up run after being out of action for 13 months.

That time away from then track came courtesy of two setbacks.

The EI breakbreak was a common denominator for all racehorses. The broken nose that Eleda suffered when rearing in the barriers was her own particular pain.

Both setbacks took its toll at the time. Both setbacks have clearly been overcome.

Co-owner David Cherry, pointed out that Eleda’s half brother, Step To Win, is a four time winner racing in Hong Kong.

So how far away can the phone call from Hong Kong be?

“Oh, we would never sell her,” stated Cherry, who has a big emotional investment in the family of Eleda.

Cherry also co-owns Eleda’s dam, Repetition, with Stone Bridge Stud.

Repetition is currently in foal to Stravinsky.

“Look everyone’s a battler,” said Cherry. “It doesn’t matter about the bank balance though. We want this involvement in racing and it is days like this that make it all worthwhile.

"It is just so good.”

Eleda was Cherry’s second winner as an owner in the past five days. Cherry also co-owns Jad, who won at Doomben on Saturday.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
The start of this race was delayed as a result of Felicia breaking its tongue-tie. Due to a replacement being unable to be fitted, the mare raced without a tongue-tie. Eleda (D. Tanti) and Princess Norma (L. Dillon) were both slow to begin.


RACE 6:

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Apprentice Adrian Coombe guided Shooting Scene to a finely judged win in the sixth event.
“He's best as a swooper, but somehow he just keeps getting caught on the fence,” said Mayfield-Smith, referring to past runs of Shooting Scene.
“This time I told Adrian to ride him cool. I told him he should take off about three (furlongs) from home because the horse can sustain a good three.
“At the top of the straight he still hadn’t moved. I was getting a bit anxious. Maybe he thought I meant 300m. But he got the job done in the end.”
Coombe officially joins the Mayfield-Smith stable ‘on loan’ on Monday. Coombe is attached to the Don Critch stable at Rockhampton.
Shooting Star has now had six runs for Mayfield-Smith for three wins, a runner-up finish and a third placing.
“He won at $42,00 first time out for us. Then he came out and did it again at 12-1,” volunteered Mayfield-Smith. And now there is this win. He’s been a good earner.”

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT: Near the 1400m, Sunset Marquis (K. Wharton) was tightened for room when racing to the inside of Coxless (M. Hellyer), which shifted in. M. Hellyer, rider of Coxless, was reprimanded and advised to exercise more care. It was noted that Sunset Marquis over-raced for some distance after this incident



RACE 7:

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Je Ne Sais Pas provided trainer Cherie O’Neill with a big moment in this early stage of her career.
O’Neill took out a licence in her own right at the start of this season and, after only twenty-seven days, she now has a city winner on her resume.
“It means a lot to me,” said O’Neill, who took over the family training regime from her father, former top rider Colin O’Neill.
“Especially winning for a bunch of owners like those who have Je Ne Sais Pas,” said O’Neill. “They leave me alone to do my work. They have completely entrusted the care of the horse to me.
“They’ve come into racing to enjoy themselves and it is so good being able to work within such a positive vibe.”
Anybody who had been on hand to witness Je Ne Sais Pas’s previous win at Ipswich two runs back, which was the mare’s first run for her new owners, would know what O’Neill was referring to.
The owners’ celebrations, from the roar of bringing the horse home, to the shrieks of delight that followed loud and long after their horse had crossed the line, confirmed that the owners’ mission of enjoying themselves was being accomplished.
Jockey Shane Scriven commented on the run of Je Ne Sais Pas.
“They went crazy in the race up front,” said Scriven. “I thought if I stuck where I was she would win if she was good enough.
“She was good enough. She won,” was Scriven’s short version of events.
“All I could hear was the cheering mate, so I knew somebody was happy.”
O’Neill has three horses in training. They will be joined by another four horses at the end of the month, thus doubling the size of the O’Neill’s stable, just one month into her career.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:T. Pannell, rider of the 4th placegetter, Sweed, was reminded of his obligations to ride his mounts right out to the finish of the race. Stewards questioned B. El-Issa regarding his failure to weigh in 5th on Snippet Street. After considering his explanation and that of the Clerk of Scales, Mr D. Weir, stewards considered there were extenuating circumstances and took no further action in the matter.