ALL THE ACTION FROM THE SUNSHINE COAST

A review of the meeting held at the Sunshine Coast on Sunday, September 14.

Race 1:

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Fasdehere scored a fluent win racing first-up in only his second career start.

The four month break appeared to do the gelding the world of good but trainer Keith Smith, while naturally pleased with the outcome, was cautious about the way forward.

“He’s a big horse and hasn’t got the soundest of legs,” said Smith. “He’s still green as well, so we’ll take it one step at a time.”

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
A pre-race veterinary examination of Al Reem cleared the gelding to start. Liquidate (R. McMahon) over-raced during the early stages. Approaching the 600m, Ninth Duke (O. Turpin) was inclined to lay out. Near the 450m, Blooming Thunder had to be steadied off the heels of Al Reem, which shifted out slightly. Approaching the 200m, Can She Laugh (M. Palmer) was inconvenienced when Blooming Thunder (J. Piper) shifted out slightly. Liberty Mist (L. Rolls) was inclined to lay out in the home straight. Ninth Duke shifted out abruptly under pressure in the straight. Al Reem and Fasdehere raced wide throughout.


Race 2:

WINNER FEEDBACK:
The Robert Heathcote trained Pyper’s Image gave jockey Eddie Wilkinson the first leg of his treble on the day.

The filly hit the line strongly to see off the challenge of Razzled a little bit easier than the official 0,50 length margin suggests.

“I rode her last time in town and she should have won then,” said Wilkinson. (The Stewards Report of that day states, “Leaving the 200m, Pyper’s Image (E. Wilkinson) improved up on to the heels of the weakening Solar Bound) and had to be steadied and shifted out.

“And that was in town,” continued Wilkinson. “You bring that form here (Sunshine Coast) and she had every right to win and she did it well.”

Ownership syndicator Ron McGown bought Pyper’s Image for only $10 000.

“She was passed through the ring at a Magic Millions sale,” said McGown, taking up the story.

‘I was wandering outside and saw Gerry Harvey walk past,” continued McGown. “I asked how much he wanted for the filly. He said I could have it for $10 000. We’ve almost won that back in stakes already.

“She’s making slow but steady progress.

“It’s interesting to see how far she’ll go distance-wise.

“Pyper’s Image is a half-sister to Grand Corso, the horse that ran second to My Limit yesterday (at Eagle Farm). That was over 2200m,” concluded McGown.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
The start of the race was delayed after Saltram Dream lunged forward, resulting in its pacifiers being damaged. As there was no replacement set available, Saltram Dream raced without that gear. Leaving the 1000m, Bella Rita (O. Turpin) and Licorice (A. Spinks) were tightened for room when racing to the inside of Pyper’s Image (E. Wilkinson), which was inclined to lay in despite the efforts of its rider. Near the 800m, Razzled (P. Hammersley) was inclined to lay out and got its head up in the air. After passing the winning post, Pyper’s Image shifted out abruptly, almost dislodging its rider. Post race veterinary examinations revealed: Saltram Dream - Abrasion inside right nostril.


Race 3:

WINNER FEEDBACK:
The Bruce McLachlan trained Monchenglabach scored a comfortable win first-up.

Monchenglabach had previously enjoyed little luck, finishing as runner-up in no less than six of his previous nine starts, but his fortunes changed here.

Jockey Sean Cormack was content to ride the gelding back in the field in the early stages. The duo moved into firing range coming off the turn and changed gears halfway up the straight to romp home to a clearcut victory.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Hunka Burnin’ Love (E. Wilkinson) began awkwardly, losing considerable ground. Shortly after the start, Hunka Burnin’ Love bumped the hind quarters of Archway’s Bliss (M. Hughes), and a short distance later was placed in restricted room when over-racing between Archway’s Bliss and Flash Of Silk (A. Spinks), which shifted in despite the efforts of its rider. Debraith (J. Piper) and Pe Te Cruiser (M. Radecker) raced wide throughout.


Race 4:

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Jockey Eddie Wilkinson made a pre-race suggestion to trainer Eric Ropiha.

Feeling that there might not be any strong speed in the race, Wilkinson wanted to ride the Lezant close to the speed – to put him in the race - and Ropiha agreed to that strategy.

“That’s how I wanted him ridden last time,” said Ropiha. “I thought he was a big chance on the cushion track if he was ridden aggressively, but the ride didn’t quite go the way I wanted and we went down by a length.

Lezant was well positioned in the running - but not in front - and when Frisco’s In Charge tried to skip away halfway down the straight and then maintained a strong gallop to the line, it appeared as if the hard chasing Lezant might again have to settle for a second placing.

“At the furlong, I thought we might be in trouble. By the 100m, I thought we’d get there,” said Wilkinson.

Get there they did, but only by the narrowest of margins, in the very last stride.

Lezant was Wilkinson’s second win of the afternoon.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Our Mr Stilts (M. Hughes) and Snow Dane (A. Pattillo) jumped away awkwardly. Snow Dane (A. Pattillo) raced wide in the early stages. Thunder Beach (M. Radecker) shifted in of its own accord on the 800m turn and brushed the running rail. A post-race veterinary examination of Our Mr Stilts and Snow Dane, which raced below expectations, failed to reveal any abnormalities.


Race 5:

WINNER FEEDBACK:

Jockey Eddie Wilkinson’s third winner on the card came in the form of the Robert Bradshaw trained Clearly Vain, who was the longest priced winner on the day.

The four-year-old chestnut had been restricted to the 800m dash at Ipswich and Gatton in a succession of runs prior to being allowed a two month break. That he was racing fresh here, over a longer trip (1200) were two factors that could be pointed out as possibly making a difference to the outcome.

“Yeah, he apparently led in those 800m races and they wanted him ridden back this time,” explained Wilkinson.

“He just took off though,” continued Wilkinson, “and I decided to let him run. I would have had to fight him too much to get him back and that probably would have ruined his chances.”

In the end the race came down to a two-cornered contest between Clearly Vane and the Frank Philips trained Through The Waves.

Wilkinson and Clearly Vane won that showdown on the track and then had to win it again in the Stewards Room after a protest was lodged by the rider of Through The Waves. (See Stewards Report Extract).

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
On return to scale a protest was lodged by O. Turpin, rider of the second placegetter, Through The Waves, against Clearly Vane (E. Wilkinson) being declared the winner, alleging interference over the final 200m. After taking evidence from the parties concerned and viewing the patrol videos, stewards found that after passing the 150m, Clearly Vane shifted out under pressure, inconveniencing Through The Waves. In this incident, Gervasi, was hampered as a consequence. It was also established that near the 50m, Through The Waves was further slightly impeded by Clearly Vane, which again shifted out. Bearing in mind the margin between the relevant horses at the finish, and the proximity of the interference in relation to the winning post, stewards dismissed the objection and correct weight was semaphored on the Judge's placings. At a subsequent inquiry, E. Wilkinson, rider of Clearly Vane, was advised to exercise more care in similar circumstances.
Gervasi (P. Hammersley) and Observe (M. Hughes) raced wide throughout. J. Holder, rider of Avago Delboy, was reminded of his obligations to ride his mounts right out to the finish of the race.


Race 6:

WINNER FEEDBACK:
The ten-year-old Doonan Dancer showed there is plenty of fight left in the old stager yet when gained the ascendency inside the final 100m and stayed on under a determined ride from Tony Pattillo to ward off a wall of challengers as the runners chased to the line.

This was Doonan Dancer’s eleventh win from 68 starts.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
The saddle on Go Gazza (G. Butler) shifted forward approaching the 800m, placing him at a disadvantage for the remainder of the race. Longstreet (T. Treichel) over-raced in the early stages. A post-race veterinary examination of Navada Gambler failed to reveal any significant abnormalities. Connections advised that the gelding would now be sent for a spell.


Race 7:

WINNER FEEDBACK:
The New Zealand bred War Eagle was the third winner on the day who ambushed his opposition fresh after a rest.

Jockey Jim Byrne sent the Bevan Laming trained gelding about his business halfway up the straight and, although the favourite Shifteman worked hard to close the gap, the advantage War Eagle had claimed turned out to be a winning one as War Eagle came home a comfortable 1,50 lengths clear of his nearest rival.

The win represented some improvement on the part of War Eagle as it was his first success in seven goes over the distance.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Apprentice J. Piper was fined $300 under AR92(12) for failing to claim down to her minimum riding weight in race 1 (Bloomin’Thunder), race 2 (Saltram Dream) and race 7 (Star Of Noosa). Apprentice L. Rolls was examined by the club's doctor after riding in race 2 and stood down from his engagement on Lunacampo and was replaced by senior jockey W. Clasohm as no other apprentice was available.
On return to scale a protest was lodged by R. McMahon, rider of the 4th placegetter, Mona Star, against Rapid Babe being declared 3rd, alleging interference over the final 400m. After taking evidence from the riders concerned and viewing the patrol video, stewards found that after Mona Star had establish a run to the outside of Rapid Babe near the 400m, P. Hammersley allowed Rapid Babe to gradually shift out, and as a result impeded the running of Mona Star for a considerable distance. Bearing in mind the interference involved and the margins between the relevant horses at the finish, stewards were comfortably satisfied that had the incident not occurred, Mona Star would have finished in front of Rapid Babe and therefore the protest was upheld and the Judge's placings were amended to read: No. 7 - War Eagle - 1st; No. 1 - Shifteman - 2nd; No. 3 - Mona Star - 4th; No. 11 - Rapid Babe - 4th. At a subsequent inquiry, P. Hammersley, rider of Rapid Babe, was reprimanded and advised to exercise greater care in similar circumstances.
Shifteman (B. Pengelly), which was over-racing, improved up on to the heels of Rapid Babe (P. Hammersley) near the 900m and had to be steadied. The saddle on Rising Storm (G. Butler) shifted forward near the 1000m, placing him at a disadvantage for the remainder of the race.


Race 8:

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Apprentice Owen Turpin, who earlier had finished second on both Frisco’s In Charge and Through The Waves, ended the day in the right unsaddling box when he guided the Stewart MacKinnon trained Dawn’s Queen to success in the final event on the card.

“I’ve been building her up slowing in distance this prep,” said MacKinnon, “and she seems to be comfortable at this sort of trip.

“I liked the win. We won’t get carried away but, on this showing, it does look like there might be more to come,” was MacKinnon’s final assessment.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Refined Desert (W. Clasohm) raced wide from a point near the 1200m. Refined Desert (W. Clasohm) and Ashma’s Gold over-raced during the middle stages. Ashma’s Gold raced greenly in the home straight.