ALL THE ACTION FROM EAGLE FARM

A review of the meeting held at Eagle Farm on Saturday, September 6.

Race 1:

WINNER FEEDBACK:
It is hard to believe, but it is true.

Peter Mitchell, who has been active as an owner in Australia and New Zealand for many years, most notably with the mighty Bonecrusher back in the eighties, had never won a race at Eagle Farm until Double Or Nothin took the opening event on the card.

“I‘m thrilled with the win,” said Mitchell. “To add another track to the list where I’ve owned winners is very satisfying. I’ve won heaps at Doomben but, for some reason, until now I haven’t been able to land one at Eagle Farm.”

Jockey Scott Galloway judged the race correctly after having to change to Plan B shortly after the start.

“I wanted to go forward from the alley and settle about fourth, but I couldn’t get in,” explained Galloway. “So we had to go back (the duo settled in seventh place with only two runners behind them).

“She settled beautifully and then we made our move in the straight.

“It was a good solid win.

“She just loved the going,” added Galloway.

Trainer Brian Smith was quietly happy with the result.

It’s always hard to keep winning, to put a couple of wins together,” said Smith. “She’s got two in a row now which is pretty good.”

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Daffy, which was found to have blood in its mouth as a result of a dislodged tooth cap, was examined by the club's veterinary surgeon and cleared to start.


Race 2:

WINNER FEEDBACK:
The dam of the first race winner, Double Or Nothin, is the Zabeel mare, Unbeleevable, who was represented again in the second race, this time by Scattergun who is also trained by Brian Smith, and also owned by Peter Mitchell.

The double for this winning trio duly arrived when Scattergun kicked clear halfway up the straight and hit the line well, simply carrying too much firepower for the chasing pack which was led by the favourite Fulmonti.

“He travelled beautifully,” said jockey Ric McMahon.

“We lay third then fourth. One went around us (stable companion Lord Rupert) and put a bit of speed into the race and he took it up again well.

“He’s just too good for those sort of horses, particularly on a rain affected track. He’s just too strong,” concluded McMahon.

After such a long wait, Peter Mitchell suddenly had two winners at Eagle Farm.

I asked him about the history of Unbeleevable.

“I bought her as a weanling. I paid $13 000 for her. She was one of the first Zabeel’s to go through the ring in New Zealand.

“She won on her debut over 1400m,” continued Mitchell. “But then one day at Kembla Grange, she broke down so badly we thought that was it. But she has gone on to become a tremendous broodmare for us.”

One question remained to be answered.

Could Unbeleevable help carry Mitchell and Smith to a unique treble on the day with another of her offspring, Blood ‘N’ Bone, contesting the sixth race on the card?

“It would be very nice if Blood ‘N’Bone could win,” answered Mitchell, “but I think he is a bit past his best, to be fair.”

(As Mitchell had sensed, there was to be no hat trick. Blood ‘N’ Bone threaten briefly in the sixth race before finishing out of the placings).

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Fulmonti (A. Coome) was held up rounding the home turn and in the early stages of the straight.


Race 3:

WINNER FEEDBACK:
The Ron Macrae trained Regal Castanea was caught three wide without cover all of the trip but the four-year-old gelding overcame that disadvantage by producing a strong, sustained run in the home straight to score his second successive win at the track.

The win provided jockey Scott Galloway with a double at the meeting. He won earlier on Double Or Nothin.

“They went slowly early and then sprinted away at the top of the straight, said Galloway. “That is why he took some time to pick it up ... that and the strong headwind.

“Once he stretched out though, he did a good job. He’s a good genuine horse.”

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Notre Amour, which was fractious in its raceday stall, was examined by the club's veterinary surgeon and cleared to race. Near the 250m, Mr Doyle (S. Scriven) was disappointed for a run between Palace Lover (S. Seamer) and Regal Castanea and was obliged to alter course towards the inside, and near the 100m had to be checked when disappointed for a run between Our Magic (J. Byrne) and Notre Amour (K. Wharton) where there was not fully sufficient room. Regal Castanea (S. Galloway) raced 3 wide for the entire race.


Race 4:

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Release Me became the third horse on the day to score from a wide barrier when jockey Sean Cormack drove the Bruce McLachlan trained gelding to a narrow win in a pressurised finish.

“We were travelling well and I got a nice split at the top of the straight,” said Cormack, taking us through the race.

“But then the favourite Carnegie Prince, who was on my inside, shifted on to me and pushed me out.

“I lost ground for a moment, but the favourite had actually done me a favour because I now had a good clean run.”

Realease Me picked up ground quickly, but so did Reincarnation, who was even wider than the McLachlan trained runner.

Release Me’s task was now twofold. He had to find the acceleration required to reel in the duelling frontrunners, Aladdins Lion and Count Henry.

At the same time Release Me had to repel the persistent challenge of Reincarnation , who was snapping at his heels.

That he succeeded in doing both bodes well for a future follow-up success.

“Good powerful ride to get up,” quipped Cormack. He was spot on with that assessment.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Base Dancer (E. Wilkinson) raced ungenerously and got its head up rounding the first turn. Millers Wheel (S. Scriven) over-raced in the middle stages. Decibella (B. El-Issa) pull hard and over-raced rounding the first turn.Carnegie Prince (S. Galloway) was held up in the early stages of the straight and when attempting to obtain clear running, shifted out and made contact with Release Me (S Cormack). Near the 250m, Lord Nediym was inclined to shift in under pressure and made contact with Blue Oyster (R. Wiggins). West Of Hollywood raced wide for the entire race.
R. Wiggins, rider of BLUE OYSTER, was found guilty of a charge of careless riding, in that approaching the 100m, he permitted his mount to shift out, which resulted in Deception Bay having to be checked. R. Wiggins was suspended from riding in races for a period covered by 8 meetings, to commence at midnight, 10 September, and to expire at midnight, 19 September 2008.

Race 5:

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Zero Rock, who had been most impressive when winning by six lengths over 1000m on her debut, was untroubled in making it back to back wins, this time over 1200m.

Jockey Brad Pengelly made maximum use of the filly’s favourable draw and he picked up an easy trail on the leaders before pouncing soon after turning for home, from which moment the race ceased to be a serious contest – although Pengelly had to keep working on Zero Rock all the way to the line as Express Air closed ground late to keep the winner honest.

Trainer Kelso Wood confided that the wet track was a worry going into the race.

“She’s a Danzero filly,” explained Wood. “Danzero’s generally do handle the wet, although some haven’t.

“Zero Rock’s a big striding filly and horses like that don’t have confidence in the wet. She came through well though. Very pleasing.”

Zero Rock only had her first run late in her two year old season and this was her first of her three-year-old campaign.

“There have been no problems. She only started when she did because we were being patient. We were just waiting till she was ready,” concluded Wood.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Zero Rock (B. Pengelly) and Express Air (J. Holder) were inclined to lay in under pressure over the concluding stages. A post race veterinary examination of Brilliantes revealed the filly to be sore in the off-fore leg.


Race 6:
WINNER FEEDBACK:
The John Morrisey trained Rockdale was all the rage in this small field of six runners and the Group 1 winner duly obliged – but he had to work a lot harder for victory than many had anticipated.

Morrisey was certainly not one of those who thought Rockdale would cruise in. In fact, he had an entirely more conservative view of Rockdale’s chances going into the contest.

“I didn’t think he would win,” admitted Morrisey.

“He’s not actually three-years-old yet and it is very hard to beat older horses at this stage of the season.

“He’s got the ability for sure, but it was still a big ask. But he produced a big effort.”

Jockey Glen Colless was breathing a bit heavier than he usually does after a race, a fact which confirmed the win had been hard-earned.

“He can do it from the front,” nodded Colless. “He’s one of those horses, when they come up to him (as Victory Flight had done halfway up the straight), he responds.

“I had to get into him a bit going to the line, but he got there,” continued Colless. “It will do him the world of good.”

Morrisey confirmed that Rockdale is booked to leave on Thursday morning for Melbourne where he will target a race in two weeks time.

“I won’t do much with him in the next two weeks,” said Morrisey.

“He’ll have an easy fortnight. We’ll just let him settle in without asking too much of him.”

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
When the pace eased approaching the 1000m, Hard To Catch had to be steadied off the heels of Bitabiff (S. Seamer).


Race 7:

WINNER FEEDBACK:
A barnstorming ride by Dean Tanti, supplemented by an oh so brave performance by his mount Eleda, carried the day here by the narrowest of margins in the most controversial of circumstances.

The controversy, relating to Jockey Bobby El-Issa’s ride was resolved in the Stewards room (see Stewards Report Extract) and it overshadowed the effort of Eleda who extended her sweet run of success.

“Not many win five-in-a-row,” pointed out trainer Bryan Guy. “And remember, she was knocked sideways at the top of the turn and had a huge amount of ground to make up in the straight.”

Eleda had taking time to regain her stride after being pushed wide at the top of the straight by Awasi Ougi - but regain her stride she did.

Eleda was fortunate that Awsase Ougi went on with it once she had bullied her way into clear. Instead of further impeding Eleda, Awase Ougi stretched away in front of Eleda and thus became the immediate target in Tanti’s sights.

Awase Ougi was flying and was taking Eleda in her tow.

But even at the 200m, with both of these runners making up ground quickly wide on the track, it still seemed unlikely that Eleda would be able to get to Awase Ougi and, in any event, that result seemed to be of little consequence as they appeared to be too far back to feature in the outcome. (Awase Ougi was ninth and some six lengths off the leader, My First Affair, at the time).

Both runners stuck to their tasks though and powered home, forging into contention close to the line where the result came down to the last couple strides.

My First Affair (El-Issa) had looked all over a winner inside the last 100m but El-Issa, not seeing the fast finishing duo out wide, stopped riding his mount short of the line, just as Eleda got the better of Awsae Ougi and flashed through the finish.

The photo-finish confirmed Eleda as the winner by an official margin of a nose, leaving a highly pumped up Dean Tanti to bring one of his favourite horses back to the winners’ enclosure.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Eleda (D. Tanti) jumped away awkwardly. Pinelope (J. Byrne) was caught 3 wide without cover in the middle stages. Bhagwanita (M. Palmer) and Ms Marju (S. Galloway) raced wide for the majority of the event.
Jockey L. Herne, rider of Awasi Ougi, was found guilty of a charge of careless riding, in that near the 400m she permitted her mount to shift out into the rightful running of Eleda (D. Tanti), causing that horse to be inconvenienced and taken out on to Bhagwanita (M. Palmer). In this incident, Eleda faltered and shifted out. L. Herne was suspended from riding in races for a period covered by 7 meetings, to commence at midnight, 6 September, and to expire at midnight, 18 September 2008.
Jockey B. El-Issa, rider of My First Affair, was found guilty of a charge under AR137(b), in that he failed to ride his mount right out to the finish of the race. B. El-Issa was suspended from riding in races for a period covered by 2 months, to commence at midnight, 10 September, and to expire at midnight, 10 November 2008. In assessing penalty, stewards were of the opinion that B. El-issa's actions cost My First Affair the race.


Race 8:

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Just a guess here, but I suggest Dean Tanti was still riding on the adrenaline left over his Eleda victory.

Whether he was or not, he could not have given the Ron Maund trained Pelltro a more perfect ride.

Turning for home in last place, Tanti opted to take Pelltro down the centre of the track and he never once had to shift even marginally left or right, being fortunate enough to be allowed to follow a straight line to victory.

In the end, the gelding’s sixth career success was achieved by a comfortable two length margin.

“I wasn’t going to go to the outside,” said Tanti. “I knew I’d lose too much ground there.

“He (Pelltro) doesn't seem to quite get the 1200m,”continued Tanti, “but he does like a fast run 1000m where he can get the last crack at them. Just like he did here.”

When last did Tanti have a city double?

“It’s got to be a long time since I rode a city double,” answered Tanti. ‘I’m normally at the Coast.

“Ric’s (McMahon) is the number one rider for my stable. I just take what I can get and I’m very happy with what I got today,” concluded Tanti.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT: Tag (M. Palmer) jumped away awkwardly and missed the start.