SUNSHINE COAST REVIEW (SUN, NOV 9)

A review of the meeting held at the Sunshine Coast on Sunday, November 9.

STEWARDS SUPPLEMENTARY REPORT:
Following a track inspection at 5 am which found the track to be heavy, and with the forecast of further rain, the race meeting was transferred to the cushion track and as a result 1200-metre distances of races 2, 5 and 6 were reduced to 1100 metres.

Race 1:

QTIS 3yo & Up Maiden Handicap - 1000m
1st - A Scarletpimpernel; 2nd - Moubassin; 3rd - Hawk Hunter

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Mick Mair: “He’s a handful. He’s a mongrel of a horse. If he wasn’t so well bred he would be gelded by now, but least he backs up his attitude with some ability ... and he is still learning so we’ll see how things go. He hit the line well which was very encouraging.”

A Scarletpimpernel was the first of two winners on the day for the Mick Mair stable. Mair completed a stable double with Monashee Princess in the last race on the card.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Len’s Gift (J. Piper) shifted out abruptly at the start and bumped Kyuss (D. Craven). Passing the 500m, A Scarletpimpernel (K. Pope) had to be steadied after improving on to the heels of Hawk Hunter (E Wilkinson). Boodua (J. Wood) was inclined to hang out rounding the home turn. Kyuss (D. Craven) bled during the event and when being eased down in the straight, D. Craven was dislodged from gelding. Kyuss will be barred from racing for a period of 3 months. Jockey E. Wilkinson was examined by the club's doctor following this event and stood down from his remaining engagement on Kaadeema and was replaced by K. Wharton.


Race 2:

QTIS 3yo Handicap - 1100m
1st - It's Wunderbar; 2nd - La Bandera; 3rd - A Pair Of Diamonds

Trainer Jeremy Vaughan: “You know when they talk about a horse being a big baby. Well he’s just a big baby, mate. He doesn’t know what he’s doing and we’ve been trying to work him out. We’ve had him jumping and all kinds of things to help his education, but it’s just a maturity thing, which hopefully time will take care of. It was his first run for me and he is winning at only his second start so it things could be worse.”

It might be an old racing saying that, ‘the smaller the field the bigger the upset,’ but that result is now clearly exceeding the law of averages. It’s Wunderbar started at 15-1 in a five horse field.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
La Bandera (J. Byrne) was obliged to race wide from the 700m. Grand Mark (C. Spry) was inclined to hang out under pressure in the straight.


Race 3:

Maiden Handicap - 1400m
1st -Captain Darling; 2nd - Hamatym; 3rd - Williamstown

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Co-trainer Jason McLachlan: “He did it well. Never easy to do it at both ends, but you have to attack on this (Cushion) track don’t you. You have to either lead or be close to the speed.”

Jockey Sean Cormack: “There was a bit of pressure on early and I was worried about whether I was using him up too much early and whether that pressure might take its toll at the end, but he stuck to his task and finished off well. I rode him when he was first-up in his previous start. That was over five furlongs and they were a bit quick for him, but he still turned in a respectable performance. His best result prior to this was over a second placing over 1400m so, yeah, this (1400m) could be a good distance for him.”

This win was the first official success on their home track for the newly formed training partnership of Bruce and Jason McLachlan. The duo immediately backed up and made it a race-to-race double when Irishkiwi won the next race on the card.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Astrologist (B. Pengelly) began awkwardly. Astrologist over-raced in the early stages. Hamatym (K. Pope) had to be steadied away from the heels of Mucho Gracias (J. Piper) near the 700m and near the 600m had to be steadied away from the weakening Astrologist. Resurrected (D. Griffin) and Hamatym (K. Pope) bumped on a number of occasions on straightening. So Long (P. Hammersley) and Archway’s Bliss (A. Pattillo) raced wide throughout.
When questioned regarding the disappointing performance of Resurrected, D. Griffin stated that the gelding travelled well in the early and middle stages, however failed to respond to his riding once placed under pressure inside the 600m. A post-race veterinary examination of Resurrected failed to reveal any significant abnormalities.
Jockey B. Pengelly was questioned regarding the poor performance of Astrologist. Trainer J. Wallace's representative Mr T. Duckett could offer no excuse for the performance, and undertook to advise stewards of any abnormality which may become apparent with the horse that may have had a bearing on the performance.


Race 4:

Class 2 Handicap - 1400m
1st – Irishkiwi; 2nd – Zabullion; 3rd - Napper Tandy

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Jockey Sean Cormack: “It is never easy jumping up from a Maiden to a Class 2 (which is what Irishkiwi did), but when I looked at the speed map for the race I knew it be run to my advantage. There was no speed in the race and I was always confident that I would be able to control the pace. I thought my stable companion Zabullion was my main danger, but I knew he didn’t have as a quick a turn of foot as my mount so I thought I’d be able to hold him off. The track was running fast as well which helped my horse. The race went pretty much as I expected.”

Irishkiwi completed a double in his own right. The gelding also gave the McLachlan / Cormack combination a double on the day.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Sword Of Honour (K. Wharton) was obliged to race wide throughout. Zabullion (L. Dittman) had difficulty obtaining clear running in the straight until inside the 200m. A post-race veterinary examination of Kin Kiss revealed the mare to be lame in the near foreleg and sore in both fetlocks. Trainer T. Miller was advised that he would be required to produce a veterinary clearance for Kin Kiss prior to its next race start.


Race 5:

Class 1 Handicap - 1100m
1st - Blow The Bugle; 2nd - Blue Freeze; 3rd - Mille Miglia

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Troy Hall: “It’s his second run for me. He was only a half-neck away last time. Most of his runs have been over 1400m, but I really think he is suited to this shorter trip. He’s the kind of horse that likes to keep right up there. He doesn’t want to be held back. I think if he went any further he might not be able to explode the way he has done in his last two starts.”

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Tycoon Ken (B. Calkin) and Blow The Bugle (J. Byrne) raced wide in the early and middle stages. Tully Tenor (P. Wolfgram) raced wide throughout.


Race 6:

Open Handicap - 1100m
1st – Malta; 2nd - Stood Up; 3rd - Picture Book

WINNER FEEDBACK:
The Robert Heathcote trained chestnut rekindled memories of his feature race win on the opening day of Cushion Track back in April. Now a nine-year-old, Malta defied top weight to win in comfortable fashion under another more than competent ride from Brad Pengelly.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Picture Book (S. Cormack) began awkwardly and then over-raced in the early and middle stages. Set Alight (J. Byrne) got its head up and raced ungenerously in the early stages. Try Some Magic (G. Geran) was held up momentarily on straightening. Picture Book raced wide for the majority of the event.
When questioned regarding Malta racing in a more forward position today, B. Pengelly stated that he was instructed to ride the gelding aggressively early from its wide barrier, however due to the lack of early pace in the race, the gelding settled in a more forward position than anticipated. The explanation was noted.
When questioned regarding the seemingly disappointing performance of Try Some Magic, G. Geran stated that, in his opinion, the drop back in distance today from 1600m at its last start to 1100m today was a contributing factor to the horse's performance today. Stewards noted the explanation. A post-race veterinary examination of Try Some Magic failed to reveal any significant abnormalities.


Race 7:

Class 4 Handicap - 1600m
1st - No Technique; 2nd - Cash In A Hurry; 3rd - No Limitation

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Troy Hall (... who danced his way to the winners’ enclosure. Either that, or he was showing how he had ridden the horse home from the grandstand over the last 100m): “If you can’t have fun when you’re winning you should be somewhere else. That was a really nice race for us. We had the leader (No Limitation) and he was paying 20-1 so we were shouting for him, and we had had No Technique closing from behind. Cash in a Hurry threatened to spoil it for us but we got there.”

No Technique completed a double for Trainer Troy Hall and jockey Jim Byrne on the day. Hall shared the day’s training honours with the Mair and the McLachlan stables. Byrne and Sean Cormack shared the day’s riding honours.

The race was an expensive outing for apprentice jockey Jana Piper who picked up a $400,00 penalty for returning to scale overweight and also received a nine meeting suspension when found guilty on a careless riding charge. Piper still leads the Sunshine Coast Jockey’s Premiership by one win. Sean Cormack’s double on the day lifted the McLachlan stable retained rider into second spot.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Prized Packet (M. Palmer) was inclined to over-race in the early and middle stages. Leaving the 400m, Frisco’s In Charge (S. Galloway) shifted out to obtain clear running, making contact with Alvaldi (A. Taylor).
No Technique (J. Byrne), Cash In A Hurry (S. Cormack) and Crique (K. Wharton) raced wide for the majority of the event.
J. Piper, rider of No Limitation was found guilty of a charge of careless riding, in that after leaving the 200m, when being ridden along, No Limitation commenced to shift out and continued to shift out to a point near the 50m, resulting in Frisco’s In Charge being taken out on to Alvaldi (A. Taylor), which resulted in Frisco’s In Charge to be checked and lose its position. J. Piper was suspended from riding in races for a period covered by 9 meetings, to commence at midnight, 9 November 2008 and to expire at midnight, 23 November 2008.
Apprentice J. Piper was fined $400 for returning to scale overweight on 3rd placegetter No Limitation. In issuing penalty stewards took into account J. Piper's poor record in regards to this matter.


Race 8:

Class 1 Handicap - 1600m
1st - Monashee Princess; 2nd - Don't Call Me Bruce; 3rd - Zibo

WINNER FEEDBACK:
The Mick Mair stable completed a double on the day when Monashee Princess prevailed by a narrow margin following a pressurised, stride for stride battle with the more fancied Don’t Call Me Bruce in the final chase to the line.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Mrs Dittmier (M. Speers) raced wide in the early and middle stages. Monashee Princess (J. Taylor) raced wide leaving the 800m. Monashee Princess (J. Taylor) shifted in under pressure leaving the 100m, crowding Zibo (S. Cormack) in on to King Xavier (M. Heagney), which had to be steadied off the heels of Don’t Call Me Bruce (B. Pengelly). J. Taylor, rider of Monashee Princess, was advised to exercise more care.