EAGLE FARM REVIEW (WED, OCT 1)

A review of the meeting held at Eagle Farm on Wednesday, October 1.

Race 1:

Maiden Plate - 2200m
1st - Strawberry Ripple; 2nd - National Soldier; 3rd – Estrellito

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Brian Smith: “Well that’s a full house for the mare (Unbeleevable). She’s now had one hundred percent winners (including the likes of Scattergun, Double Or Nothin and Blood ‘N’ Bone).
There weren’t any Maiden races for her over this distance that’s why she has been running in Class 1’s. Back to a Maiden and we got the result. It’s taken a long time though. The more I’ve raced her, the better she’s got. She was just too slow to start off with. Not so much to do with ability. It’s all mental with these Montjeu’s. ... but I think she could develop into a lovely staying mare.”

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Latrobe (S. Scriven) and Our Wave (A. Pattillo) were caught racing wide in the early stages of the event. Red To Riches (J. Byrne) and Strawberry Ripple (S. Galloway) both over-raced during the middle stages. Approaching the 600m, Hot Pot (B. Pengelly) shifted out to improve and doing so forced Our Wave (A. Pattillo) wider on the track. Leaving the 300m, Estrellito (R. McMahon) shifted out under pressure and brushed Strawberry Ripple (S. Galloway). Strawberry Ripple continued to shift out under pressure over the remaining 300m. Latrobe (S. Scriven) was held up for clear running in the early stages of the straight.
Latrobe was examined by the club's veterinary surgeon following the race after jockey S. Scriven reported he was concerned with the gelding's action on completion of the event. The examination revealed that Latrobe was lame in the off foreleg. Trainer A. Doyle was advised that he must provide a veterinary clearance for Latrobe prior to its next race start. A post race veterinary examination of Red To Riches, which tired badly over the final 200m, failed to reveal any significant abnormalities.


Race 2:

Maiden 4 yo & Up Handicap - 1300m
1st - Mean Machine; 2nd – Octahedron; 3rd - Runaway Fund

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Robert Heathcote: “He’s still doing things wrong. He goes too hard in front. He has got to learn to relax. I know it looked like he was walking over the line, but he basically sprinted all of the way. It was a good enough win in the circumstances, but he has still got a lot to learn.”

Jockey Ric McMahon: “He was pulling really hard. He’s still very green. It’s all like a game with him you know .... like, go,go,go. He’s got to learn to switch off otherwise it takes its toll. It’s only his fourth start. He’ll be alright.”

Mean Machine was purchased as part of a package of runners by majority owner J Fish. The package deal (for four horses) was worth $770 000.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Mr R. Drysdale, trainer of Dukes Son, will be questioned at the earliest available opportunity regarding the late scratching of that horse at 7.45 am. Trainer R. Heathcote was fined $100 for being negligent in inadvertently removing the blinkers from the gear of Mean Machine in lieu of another runner. AR175(k). A pre-race veterinary examination of Arcangela, which had not raced since February 2007, cleared the mare to start. Abisque (E. Wilkinson) and Showlisa (B. Pengelly) both raced wide for the majority of the event. A post race veterinary examination of Ice Sphere revealed the gelding to be suffering from mild colic.


Race 3:

3yo Maiden Handicap - 1300m
1st - Warrior Within; 2nd - Handon Hero; 3rd - Reve D'Or

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Jockey Glen Colless: “I just wanted to put him in the race early. I tracked the leader. He took it up nicely enough in the straight buy was probably only hitting the line fairly. Possibly juts need a little more ground.”

This was in-form trainer Bruce Hill’s third winner in as many meetings.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Near the 800m, Rocking Rooney (J. Taylor) was inclined to over-race on the heels of Brookie Babe when the pace of the race steadied. When questioned regarding the disappointing performance of Brookie Babe, C. Reith was at a loss to explain the performance other than to advise that, in his opinion, the filly had been disappointing during its current campaign. A post race veterinary examination of Brookie Babe revealed the filly to be lame in the near foreleg. Trainer K. Schweida advised that it was now his intention to send the filly for a spell. Mr Schweida was advised he would be required to provide a veterinary clearance for Brookie Babe prior to its next race start.


Race 4:

Class 3 Handicap - 1600m
1st – Nasadispute; 2 Denby; 3 Malandrina

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Harold Cox: “He had some back problems previously. He was stuck in Sydney with EI. He just wasn’t going any good ... but we’ve got him going now.”

Jockey Joe Bowditch: “I went back and then bided my time. Then we trucked up, but I only went for him late to make certain he would be running on when it mattered.”

Nasadispute provided Bowditch with his first city winner since returning from a lengthy injury-enforced layoff.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Malandrina (R. McMahon) was held up for clear running from the 350m until near the 100m. Approaching the finish line, La Marianne (J. Taylor) and Thunder Beach (M. Radecker) were tightened for room when racing between Swords (J. Byrne) and Denby (G. Colless), which shifted in. G. Colless, rider of DENBY, was reprimanded for failing to stop riding and straighten has mount sooner than he did on this occasion.


Race 5:

Class 4 Handicap - 1000m
1st - Atomic Huss; 2nd -Kirra Lyn; 3rd -Lachlan Valley

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Liam Birchley: “She’s had her share of problems. She came back after a rest and put in a good effort last time and then seems to have won with something in hand here. So she does seem to be over all of her problems now.”

Jockey Glen Colless: “She didn’t jump so well and took a bit of settling, but she came back good. She responded very well in the straight and reeled them in nicely.”

Atomic Huss gave Colless a double at the meeting, the rider having won earlier on Warrior Within.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
A pre-race veterinary examination of Summons, which was resuming from a lengthy spell, cleared the gelding to start. Atomic Huss (G. Colless) began awkwardly. Patties Mate (A. Merritt) knuckled shortly after the start, shifted in and made heavy contact with the hind quarters of Summons. Atomic Huss over-raced during the early and middle stages of the race. Summons (W. Clasohm) hung out rounding the home turn. Near the 250m, Lachlan Valley (R. Wiggins) had to be steadied off the heels of Atomic Huss, which shifted in under pressure. Let There Be Rock bled from both nostrils during the event. Trainer M. Eggleston was advised that the gelding would now be barred from racing for a period of 3 months. A swab sample was taken from Let There Be Rock.


Race 6:

Class 3 Handicap - 1200m
1st - Albert Cadabra; 2nd – Slugsbrothernugget; 3rd – Scudder

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Lawrie Mayfield Smith: “When I saw the 11’s – an 11 barrier and the rail 11m out – I thought we’d have to ride for luck. He’s always had ability but he hasn’t been concentrating. So I put the shades back on and they did make a bit of a difference.”

Jockey Luke Rolls: “He got back last time I rode him. Today he just jumped out running. He was very focussed in blinkers and when they came at him he just kept finding.”

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Due to personal reasons, S. Scriven was unable to fulfil his engagement on Rontgen and was replaced by S. Galloway. A pre-race veterinary examination of Alpha Boy, which dislodged J. Bowditch and galloped for a short distance when proceeding to the barriers, cleared the gelding to start. Scudder (R. McMahon) raced wide for the majority of the event.


Race 7:

Class 5 Handicap - 1200m
1st - Romantic Journey; 2nd - Phoenix Express; 3rd - General Albert

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Bryan Guy: “We thought we would take it up from the start and take it to them. With 57kg, Ric (McMahon, who had ridden Romantic Journey in his previous start) said I should put a claimer on and he’ll win. So I basically did what Ric said and it worked out the way he said it would.”

Jockey Matthew Palmer: “We probably had the race win by the 600m. I asked him to pick up again in the straight and he did that well. Just gave him a few reminders to keep him focussed, but we were never troubled at any stage.”

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Course He’s Canny (A. Spinks) began awkwardly, resulting in A. Spinks becoming unbalanced. Ebony Lad (A. Erhart) over-raced in the early stages. Leaving the 800m, Course He’s Canny (A. Spinks) improved up on to the heels of Matilda Princess (K. Forrester) and had to be steadied. Near the 500m, General Albert (J. Taylor) shifted out to improve and in doing so bumped Matilda Princess, forcing that horse wider on the track. Frigate (W. Clasohm) was inclined to hang out under pressure over the final 300m, and approaching the 200m, shifted in, crowding General Albert (J. Taylor) and Ebony Lad (A. Erhart). Clyde The Glide bled from both nostrils.
Trainer J. Aitkenhead was advised that Clyde The Glide would be barred from racing for a period of 3 months. A swab sample was taken from Clyde The Glide.


Race 8:

Class 3 F&M Handicap - 1200m
1st -Simian Express; 2nd - Lots Of Success; 3rd – Wifi

Trainer Lawrie Mayfield Smith: “That was a good win. I knew both of them would have to dig deep (referring also to his earlier winner Albert Cadabra). Both of them showed courage.”

Simian Express, who remained unbeaten over 1200m - where her record now stands at three from three, completed a double for trainer Lawrie Mayfield-Smith and apprentice jockey Luke Rolls.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Wifi was held up for clear running at a vital stage between the 300m and 200m section of the race. Plenty Of Practise (S. Galloway) was inclined to lay in under pressure over the final 200m. When questioned regarding the disappointing performance of Ersilia, G. Colless stated that the mare travelled well in the early and middle stages, however failed to respond to his riding when placed under pressure over the latter stages of the event. He also advised that he was concerned with the horse's breathing pattern over the latter stages. A post veterinary examination of Ersilia revealed the mare was suffering from thumps. Trainer R. Heathcote was advised that he would be required to provide a veterinary clearance for Ersilia prior to its next race start.