SUNSHINE COAST REVIEW (SUN, DEC 21)

A review of the meeting held at the Sunshine Coast on Sunday, December 21.

Another double for the McLachlan stable, with the win of Tropical Express adding a touch of nostalgia to the stable success (see race 8).

Then, talk about bouncing back ... apprentice jockey Luke Dittman was dumped by King’s Birthday when returning to the parade ring after the fourth race. He walked back with a sheepish grin, and then proceeded to win on all three of his remaining rides (including the two McLachlan winners) to go home as easily the most successful rider on the day.

Trainer Bryan Guy continued his rich vein of form by saddling two winners from the four runners he sent into combat (see races 2 and 7). Guy has been on fire lately. His runners ran the quinella twice this week, at Eagle Farm on Wednesday and at Doomben on Saturday – and the stable also had a winner at Ipswich on Friday.

A third trainer, Barry Baldwin, also completed a double on the day (see races 1 and 6). Baldwin in fact when home with a full house as The Crusader and Quisatana were the only two runners he had engaged at the meeting.

Race 1:

QTIS 3yo Maiden Plate - 1000m
1st - The Crusader; 2nd - Showit; 3rd - Sarcastically

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Jockey Ryan Wiggins: “I think he’s got a future this horse. He’s still very green obviously. He was hanging one way then the other halfway up the straight, but ability-wise, I think he’s going go on and do a bit.”

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Near the 600m, Craiglea Supreme (P. Hammersley) raced up on to the heels of Le Mirage (R. McMahon) and had to be steadied. Passing the 600m, Sarcastically improved up on to the heels of Famous Cry and shifted in and had to be checked off the heels of Little Patch (T. Treichel). Miss Madi (B. Payne) over-raced during the middle stages of the event. Leaving the 300m, The Crusader (R. Wiggins) shifted out under pressure, resulting in Showit (M. Hughes) having to alter course inwards to obtain clear running. Over the concluding stages, The Crusader shifted in resulting in Showit having to be steadied. Flyer Belle (K. Banks) raced wide throughout.


Race 2:

QTIS 3yo Maiden Plate - Div 2 - 1000m
1st - Casholet; 2nd - Goodlookin Gambler; 3rd - Rich Baby

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Bryan Guy: “We bought her for a client for $70 000. She only wanted it for breeding purposes because the mother (Kashkow) was a listed winner with Graeme Rogerson. So the owner asked if I could find someone to lease her racing career. I said she’s going that well, I’m sure I’ll find somebody.” (The horse runs in the colours of Daniel Guy).

Jockey Matthew Palmer: “She trialled well at Eagle Farm. She did a lot of things wrong here. She wanted to hang out on the turn. She got her tongue over the bit. I told Bryan (Guy) that he should try a tongue-tie next time or some kind of tongue control. So she’s going to have plenty of improvement to come, particularly over the 1200m trip.”

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Rich Baby (S. Scriven) was momentarily held up for clear running on entering the straight. Near the 200m, Lightning Jake (J. Piper), which was weakening, shifted in despite the efforts of its rider, tightening the running of Stylish Ambition (M. Hellyer). Pure Slip (K. Pope) raced greenly during the early stages of the straight. Near the finish line, Milly Magic (C. Small) had to be steadied when Lightning Jake shifted out slightly. Jazzshinko (D. Barron), Kalinga Lady (T. Treichel) and Moon Shaker raced wide throughout.


Race 3:

4yo & Up Maiden Handicap - 1000m
1st - We've An Angel; 2nd - Can She Laugh; 3rd - Exelero

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Apprentice jockey Jana Piper: “In her early runs she was just immature and she’s also had feet problems to deal with, which set her back. She went well fresh here. I always thought I was going to get there when we quickened up, but I was hoping to have more of a margin at the line. She was first-up though, so you couldn’t really ask for more.”

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Leaving the 300m, Atlantic Light (K. Pope) was disappointed for a run and steadied when tightened for room between Exelero (A. Pattillo) and Konohana (J. Kropp), which shifted out when weakening. Near the 50m, Konohana (J. Kropp) was tightened for room between Atlantic Light (K. Pope) and Jacka (M. Hughes), which shifted out. T. Treichel, rider of All Join Hands, accidentally dropped his whip near the 250m. Konohana (J. Kropp), Atlantic Light (K. Pope), Slippery Looks (M. Speers) and Lapetus (M. Heagney) raced wide throughout.


Race 4:

Maiden Handicap - 1400m
1st - Jessie Street; 2nd - Amaizemea; 3rd - Langtime

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Jockey Mandy Radecker: “She was a bit unlucky last time in town. Here she travelled well enough but was caught wide early. At the 900m mark I was held wide and I was a bit worried. By the 600m mark though, we were still wide, but we were only a couple of lengths off the lead, so I thought, ‘this could end well.’ She just went the minute I asked her. She let down so well I think she gave them wind-burn when she went past.”

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Near the 1000m, Justly Proud (M. Traecey) improved up on to the heels of Mercent (K. Pope) and was steadied. Oculus (R. McMahon) raced wide during the early stages. Passing the 800m, Nobody’s Friend (G. Butler) improved up on to the heels of Jessie Street (M. Radecker) and had to be steadied. Near the 250m, Grey Mark (P. Hammersley) was momentarily held up for clear running between Oculus (R. McMahon) and Lisaldatroy (J. Kropp). Jessie Street (M. Radecker) and Kindroon (J. Letherby) raced wide throughout. A post-race veterinary examination of Shreps failed to reveal any significant abnormalities.


Race 5:

Class 4 Handicap - 1400m
1st - Framous; 2nd - Tanzill; 3rd - Vargas Girl

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Co-trainer Jason McLachlan: “His city form was good enough to make him a big chance here. All I was worried about was the tempo of the race. But it all went off well and when he pulled him out he was always going to be hard to beat. Gee, this boy (Luke Dittman) rides well, doesn’t he? Pity he’s going to get too tall.”

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Near the 1100m, Diamond Sapphire, which commenced to over-race, shifted out and as a result was steadied off the heels of Framous. Tanzill was momentarily held up for clear running passing the 300m.
A post-race veterinary examination of Life’s Short revealed the horse to have bled from both nostrils. Trainer R. Bradshaw was advised that Life’s Short will incur a 3 month bar from racing.
On return to scale, J. Holder reported that Diamond Sapphire felt awkward in its action during the race. A post-race veterinary examination of Diamond Sapphire revealed the horse had bled from both nostrils. Diamond Sapphire will be barred from racing for a period of 3 months.


Race 6:

Class 1 Handicap - 1600m
1st - Quisatana; 2nd - Use To Be A Dancer; 3rd - Fly Misty

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Barry Baldwin: “Yeah she got the job done well. It was her first time over 1600m, so the result is encouraging. She was scratched from Ipswich on Friday because of the barrier. She had number 16 I think. I thought she’d have a better chance here.”

Quisatana was the second of two winners on the day for trainer Barry Baldwin. The stable had struck earlier with the first-timer, The Crusader.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Knuckles (M. Radecker) raced wide in the early stages. Passing the 1200m, Fly Misty (M. Traecey) commenced to over-race up on to the heels of Pamela’s Wonder (E. Wilkinson) and shifted out. Fly Misty was then obliged to race wide for the remainder of the race. Use To be A Dancer (P. Hammersley) commenced to over-race after passing the 800m for a short distance. Our Heart (A. Pattillo) was inclined to lay in in the home straight, placing its rider at a disadvantage.
When questioned regarding the disappointing performance of Knuckles, M. Radecker stated that the gelding travelled well throughout, however when placed under pressure on entering the straight, Knuckles failed to respond to her riding and commenced to weaken. A post-race veterinary examination of failed to reveal any significant abnormalities. Trainer Mr P. Duff undertook to report to stewards any abnormality which may come to light which may have had some bearing on the performance.


Race 7:

Class 1 Handicap - 1200m
1st - Laurels; 2nd - Alexandre; 3rd - County Raider

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Bryan Guy: “As a young horse, and I mean still a yearling, he must have put his foot in a hole or something. He injured himself so badly that we had to put a screw in his foot and then put him out in the paddock for twelve months. The vets gave him a good prognosis because he was a young horse thinking that the injury would heal given time. We took the time and now he is repaying us. He is a good horse. That he is unbeaten this prep shows just how well he is progressing.”

Laurels completed a double for the Bryan Guy stable on the day. When asked why stable jockey Ric McMahon was not aboard any of the Guy stable’s three weekend winners, Bryan Guy responded, “Well Matty (Palmer) and Paul (Hammersley) all come down to ride work for me and I just spread the rides around a little.”

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
The saddle on Fantastic Carat shifted forward shortly after start, resulting in the filly taking no competitive part in the race, and being retired from the event at the 500m.


Race 8:

Open Handicap - 1400m
1st - Tropical Express; 2nd - Mosta House; 3rd - Sir Teles

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Co-trainer Bruce McLachlan: “This is a special win for us. Tropical Express was the last horse in training at Thornhill Park before we closed down there. I trained him. Jason trained him and had a few wins with him, and now we are training him together. He’s the last horse left from the Thornhill Park era. We moved and we’ve been here for five years now, and it is really special to get this win in what will be his last preparation.”

Tropical Express completed a double for the McLachlan stable on the day. Framous (Race 5) and Tropical Express were both ridden by apprentice jockey Luke Dittman.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Mechanical Fan (A. Spinks) was slow to begin. Noble Gaze (M. Hughes) knuckled on jumping away. Craiglea Warrior (M. Speers) over-raced during the early and middle stages. Leverage (K. Wharton) bumped the running rail on several occasions of its own accord passing the 800m and became unbalanced. A post-race veterinary examination of Showify, which performed below expectations, revealed the horse had pulled up lame in the near hind leg. Connections were advised that a veterinary clearance for Showify would be required prior to its next race start.


Race 9:

Class 3 Plate - 1000m
1st - His Boy Elroy; 2nd - Blue Jupiter; 3rd - Raspberry Licorice

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Apprentice Jockey Luke Dittman: “We just took a sit off the speed and had the last shot at them. He got home real good.”

The win of the John Wallace trained His Boy Elroy gave Luke Dittman a treble on the day. The rider had won the last race at both the Ipswich meeting on Friday and the Doomben meeting on Saturday, so his Sunshine Coast results completed a very productive three day’s work for the youngster.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Blue Jupiter (K. Pope) was tightened for room on jumping away between Brain Explosion (M. Okada) and Our Bella Star (J. Holder), which shifted out. Whimpy (S. Scriven) was slow to begin. Stella Reine (J. Murphy) and Obi Park Princesse (G. Butler) raced wide throughout.

STEWARDS RACE DAY SUMMARY EXTRACT:
Horses swabbed
All winners