DOOMBEN REVIEW (MON, JAN 26)

A review of the meeting held at Doomben on Monday, January 26.

Keen racing was the order of the day at Doomben with the outcome of two races being decided in extra time in the Stewards Room, after riders two fired in protests (see races 4 and 7).

A first city treble for apprentice jockey Owen Turpin underlined the rapid rate of progress the young rider is making. Turpin won for three different trainers – Troy Hall, Donald Baker and Olivia Cairns – and two of his winners started at double figure odds. It just goes to show where a ‘listen, learn and apply’ policy can take you if you have the focus to make the most of your talent.

Joe Bowditch wasn’t far behind Turpin. Bowditch went home with a double, but he also picked up an eight meeting suspension which would have taken the edge off the celebration.

The Leon Morton trained Mr Slick provided the performance of the day in the Open Handicap (see race 7). The gelding now has a fifty percent strike rate, having won eight out of his sixteen starts. The five-year-old also has six runner-up finishes and one third placing to his credit. He will now be put away for the Winter Carnival.

Trainer Alan Bailey talked about possibly finding, “the horse we’ve been looking for.” Coming from such an astute trainer, those words should be well worth noting (see race 2), while Sunshine Coast based trainer Troy Hall’s association with high profile owner Nick Moraitis continued to blossom (see race 1).


Race 1:

3yo & Up Maiden Plate - 1640m
1st - Banana Split; 2nd - Professor; 3rd - Real Grand

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Troy Hall: “We got beat the other day at the Sunshine Coast. Well, it might have been a blessing because there was $28 000 or something to win this week. I had this race in mind if we did get beat. I don’t get to run in $45 000 Maidens every week. I’ve only had the horse for the two runs. I can’t tell you why he has taken so long to win. All I know is he had a sore back when I got him and I fixed that.
“He’s a good rider this kid (Owen Turpin). He’s a great judge. He just sums up a race so well. Like I told you before he’s improved ... and he has improved again. I’ve got nine horses from (owner) Nick Moraitis now. It started with one. It won its first two for me ... and we got two more after that. Then the next one we got, it won and it has continued to grow from there. I’ve just been placing them to win. The boss will be happy. That’s the main thing. This is my first city winner for him.”

Apprentice jockey Owen Turpin: “Yeah, he relaxed beautifully. I just tried to keep him relaxed and sit quiet on him till it was time to push him out ... and he took off when I asked him.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Banana Split): 4.20 out to 5.00
Favourite (Professor): 4.20 out to 4.40 in to 3.60. Finished second.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Taimazon (S. Seamer) and Professor (S. Scriven) over-raced for a short distance near the 1300m. Northern Apache over-raced in the early stages. Arizona Sunset (G. Colless) raced wide in the early stages. Near the 800m when the pace slackened, Langtime (D. Browne) improved up on to the heels of Arizona Sunset and had to be steadied. Banana Split (O. Turpin) and Real Grand (A. Spinks), which were following, also had to be steadied in consequence. Professor (S. Scriven) and Choose A Star (M. Hellyer) laid in when placed under pressure in the home straight. Choose A Star (M. Hellyer) and Jensway raced wide for the majority of the race. A post-race veterinary examination of Jensway, which compounded to finish a distant last, revealed the filly to be exhibiting an abnormal respiratory noise. Trainer B. Laming was advised that he must provide a veterinary clearance for the filly prior to its next race start. Following this event the track rating was upgraded to Heavy 8.


Race 2:

QTIS 2yo C&G Handicap - 1200m
1st - Streets Away; 2nd - Daneomite; 3rd - Umanugget

Trainer Alan Bailey: “He just such a relaxed horse. He’s the same at home ... he could sleep all day, you know. He just gets up when it’s time to do things. He’s a really lovely horse. We won’t be tempted to go down south. We’ll keep him for the winter where there will be a nice choice of feature races for him. He’ll be even better as a three-year-old, I tell you. He could just be the horse we’ve been looking for. Have a look at him coming back here. That’s his first day at the races. You just don’t see horses so calm on their first day. He trialled the other day and two seconds afterwards he just dropped his head on the ground wanting some grass. We had to have winkers on him to try and wake him up. He just gets to the races and goes to sleep. Look at him come back here (to the winners’enclosure). He’s happy to stand there in the one place like he has been here for ten years. We’ll target the winter now.”

Jockey Glen Colless: “We’ve always had a bit of a wrap on him all the way through. But he’s only had one trial and he sat outside the leader that day. Trying to teach him something today, but he got a bit lost. He was laying in that bad all race looking for the fence. Coming around the corner I just gave him one with the right hand and he thought, whoa ... I’ve got to go now ... and he just ran straight up to it then. Still has it all to learn, but he’s got the ability.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Streets Away): 2.25 out to 2.90.
Favourite (Umanugget): 1.80 out to 2.00. Finished third.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Near the 700m, Streets Away (G. Colless) laid in, momentarily tightening the running of Run Jake Run (S. Drake).


Race 3:

Class 6 Plate - 1640m
1st - Humma; 2nd - La Zeel; 3rd - Fort ‘N' Won

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Rob Heathcote: “This horse is owned by international soccer players. Craig Moore, the captain of the Queensland Roar, and Scott Chipperfield are Aussie internationals. Zelko Kalac is the AC Milan second string goal-keeper. I’m talking to him this morning and he is sitting opposite Kaka (one of the world’s best and most highly paid soccer players), so maybe I’ll be able to talk them into buying some more horses. I couldn’t get hold of all the boys beforehand though. He nearly didn’t run to be honest. This was only his fourth start for me and they told me he doesn’t handle a heavy track. So I thought the only bloke I really needed to talk to is the last person to train him, Chris Waller. I spoke to Chris Waller this morning at twenty past seven - and he said, ‘run him’. Good decision.”

Jockey Joe Bowditch: “He just got a bit of a squeeze at the start which put him back in the field a bit. He travelled really nice though ... had a good run and was able to get to the outside just before straightened. When he got there (to the lead) he just switched off a little bit. That just gave the other horse (La Zeel) a chance to fight back a bit, but we always had her covered.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Humma): 4.20 out to 4.60.
Favourite (Punch Up): 3.20 out to 3.50. Finished fifth.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Humma (J. Bowditch), which was a little slow to begin, was tightened for room shortly after the start between Fat Possum (L. Cassidy), which shifted in, and Demolir (O. Turpin), which was taken out by La Zeel (M. Paget). Near the 1400m, Punch Up (J. Taylor) got its head up. Passing the 600m, Humma (J. Bowditch) shifted out to obtain clear running and in doing so forced Fat Possum wider on the track. Margy Magic (C. Reith), which was following, was hampered as a consequence.
A post-race veterinary examination of Punch Up revealed the horse to be suffering from a burst abscess in the right commisure of its mouth. Following this event, the track rating was upgraded to Slow 7.


Race 4:

Class 6 Handicap - 1110m
1st - King Leonidas; 2nd - Shudule Gee; 3rd - Cardio

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Jockey Larry Cassidy (speaking directly after the race): “He wasn’t really handling the track and when I reached the lead he shifted out. I don’t think I made contact, but we’ll have a look anyway.”

It was to be a very close look. Apprentice jockey Luke Rolls, the rider of the second placed horse Shudule Gee, put in a protest against the winner and the action moved into the Stewards room.

Apprentice jockey Luke Rolls (giving the grounds for his protest): “Coming to about the 100m mark, Larry Cassidy has given me a very definite bump. It cost me a length. It really put my horse off-balance. I had to stop riding it and re-gather him up and he’s come again once he got balanced.”

Jockey Larry Cassidy (questioning his accuser): “When you say I gave your mount a decent bump, how many strides did you have to stop riding for?”

Luke Rolls: “I probably stopped riding three, maybe four strides. I had to stop with the whip.”

Larry Cassidy: “... and you believe that cost you one length?”

Luke Rolls: “Yeah. Might even have been more ... but at least that”

Larry Cassidy: “Just short of the line, do you think your horse got in and bumped me?”

Luke Rolls: “No I don’t.”

Daniel Wheeler (representing trainer John Wallace): “They made their runs together. Larry Cassidy’s horse has started to shift and I see, about two strides before they actually bumped, he had the stick out. He was probably struggling to keep it as straight as he possibly could. He’s bumped our horse. Our horse never moved. He kept a straight line until he got the bump, and then he has had to shift out another three or four horses. When he got balanced up he made another run at him and I thought the inside horse has come out again right on the line, probably two strides before the line, and bumped us again. Clearly our horse is a 1400m and if he keeps straight on the inside horse, I believe we win. If the interference didn’t occur, I’d say the result would be different.

Larry Cassidy: “There are many points that should be pointed out. Firstly, we actually didn’t make our runs together. I was about a length-and-a-quarter behind the second place-getter when we made our runs. Obviously he come up the outside and I come up the inside. Sure my mount has shifted out, but I’ve given him a length-and-a-quarter start from the point of the home bend. As I started to shift I was clear of any other horse. When I finally did get out and finally brushed the second horse – and that’s really all it was, a brush not a bump, like Luke has said ... a severe bump like he said, has cost him a length. There is no way in the world, looking at the film gentlemen with your experience, there is no way in the world that has cost him a length. Um ... Luke suggested he stopped riding for three strides. Well, if you look at the film, he’s probably stopped for one stride, even half a stride ... he’s hardly missed a beat. It’s an ever so slight brush.
“As I’ve straightened my mount and we’ve got going again, I believe Luke’s mount has actually got in on top of me the last five strides and actually inconvenienced me again. There is no way in the world he would ever have beaten me and I believe the placings should stand.”

Luke Rolls (to Larry Cassidy): “After the incident occurred, how far did you put on me?”

Larry Cassidy: “Very hard looking at the angle. It wouldn’t have been much at all because my momentum was slowed. I actually stopped riding for six or seven strides and we were probably still head to head.”

Scott Hammersley (representing trainer Bryan Guy): “As Larry said there was a slight brush, but I don’t believe there was any great inconvenience to the second horse. The movement inwards and outwards close to the line was irrelevant. I mean the race was over in that point in time. I couldn’t see that those placings can be changed on that.”

Luke Rolls: “Just looking at the film, Larry’s mount was probably a neck in front of me as we bumped. My horse had to re-balance up and fight back and he has only been beaten a half-a-head ... short-head. I think if he hadn’t have been bumped he would have won.”

Daniel Wheeler: “Just a question to Larry. How far do you reckon your horse shifted out from the time you started pulling the stick to when you hit the winning post, and how far do you think you took our horse out?”

Larry Cassidy: “The first part of your question is irrelevant, because I was clear of any other horse ...”

Daniel Wheeler: “How far did you take our horse out? How many horses did he come out?”

Larry Cassidy: “I brushed the horse, maybe, that’s about it. It was only a slight brush. But I don’t believe you took ground off me. Over the last 100m, my horse was holding yours quite comfortably behind us.”

Daniel Wheeler: “In my opinion we counted three horses ... that he was taken out three horses.”

That brought the protest hearing to an end.

The protest was dismissed.

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (King Leonidas): 4.80 out to 5.00.
Favourite (Cardio): 3.00 out to 3.20 in to 2.50. Finished third.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
As R. McMahon was to be overweight on Miss Matay and Crackaway (Race 8), riding changes were made as per the Stewards Summary Sheet. R. McMahon was fined the sum of $100. In assessing penalty, stewards took into account jockey McMahon's exemplary record concerning this rule.
On return to scale a protest was lodge by apprentice L. Rolls, rider of the 2nd placegetter, Shudule Gee, against King Leonidas (L. Cassidy) being declared the winner, alleging interference over the concluding stages. After taking evidence from the parties concerned and viewing the patrol films, it was established that near the 100m, King Leonidas did shift out slightly inconveniencing Shudule Gee, however stewards could not be satisfied that the minor interference suffered by Shudule Gee had a material effect on the finishing positions of both horses and therefore the protest was dismissed and correct weight was semaphored on the Judge's placings.
Alternate (J. Taylor) was slow to begin. King Leonidas (L. Cassidy) and Pagan County (S. Seamer) made contact on jumping away. A post-race veterinary examination of Pagan County revealed the mare to be lame in the near fore leg. Trainer B. Wakefield was advised that he must provide a veterinary clearance for Pagan County prior to its next race start.


Race 5:

Open Handicap - 2040m
1st - Winsome Loot; 2nd - Bell Academy; 3rd - Rebounded

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Apprentice jockey Owen Turpin: “They told me the horse goes better with hands and heels. I gave him one on the shoulder just to get him going. I pumped him out. Just give him two more just to make sure I was getting the best out of him, you know. He never backed off the fight and finished off real strong.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Winsome Loot): 14.00 out to 17.00.
Favourite (Hunters Moon): 3.50 out to 3.80. Finished fourth.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Olympic Time (J. Taylor) raced three deep in the early stages. Hunters Moon (M. Palmer) and Shale Shaker (C. McIver) raced wide from the 800m.


Race 6:

QTIS 3yo Handicap - 1350m
1st - Zahas Pride; 2nd - Kbenrenrun; 3rd - High Roll'N Woman

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Apprentice jockey Matthew Palmer: “I knew they were coming thick and fast but look, he just kept sticking his head out, and sticking his head out. Early on he travelled beautifully. He just does his own thing. He’s got a high cruising speed and does everything right. Most importantly, he has a lot of fight in the finish.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Zahas Pride): 4.60 steady.
Favourite (Adnocon): 3.00 in to 2.70 out to 2.80. Finished fifth.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Kbenrenrun (P. Hammersley) and Hawkeye Pierce (C. McIver) were tightened for room on jumping away between Mr Orient (A. Taylor) and Upi Bay (K. Pope), both of which shifted ground. Adnocon (O. Turpin) and Tell’em It’s Easy (J. Taylor) bumped on jumping away. Flybefree (B. El-Issa) over-raced for a short distance in the early stages. Attallus (J. Bowditch) over-raced in the early stages, and near the 1100m had to be steadied off the heels of Tell’em It’s Easy (J. Taylor). Leaving the 900m, Upi Bay (K. Pope) commenced to hang out and near the 700m had to be steadied from the heels of Kbenrenrun (P. Hammersley). Upi Bay continued to have a tendency to hang out for the remainder of the event. Attallus was held up for clear running from leaving the 500m until approaching the 300m.
Near the 400m, Tell’em Its Easy had to be steadied when tightened for room between Sheeza Drama (A. Spinks), which shifted in slightly when weakening, and Flybefree (B. El-Issa), which was taken in by Adnocon. A short distance later, Flybefree had to be steadied to avoid the heels of Adnocon, which continued to shift out. O. Turpin, rider of Adnocon, was severely reprimanded and advised that he must take greater care when shifting ground in future. Attallus, Sheeza Drama (A. Spinks), Tell’em Its Easy and Mr Orient raced wide for the majority of the race.


Race 7:

Open Handicap - 1200m
1st - Mr Slick; 2nd - Special Voyage; 3rd - Bazzooka

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Leon Morton (speaking directly after the race): “He’s going to go for a little let-up now. Keep him for the Carnival. You see, I think he was 2kg overweight today in that race, if it had been a true Open Handicap race. He had 56,5kg ... so considering that, I thought it was a very good run. He’s probably the best horse I’ve had. He’s not only won the most, but he’s won them in style, you know what I mean. We still haven’t got to the top shelf with him yet. We got to be careful with him because of his joints. He’s got a few problems with them. We try to give him steady work, a little bit of swimming, a lot of ice. What race would I like to head for? Well let’s put it this way. He won last year on Stradbroke Day and run a good time. All we can do is hope.”

The conversation ended with the announcement that Ken Pope, the rider of Sommersea Drive had lodged a protest against the winner.

Jockey Ken Pope (giving the grounds for his protest): “At approximately the 300m mark I secured a run inside of Joe Bowditch’s mount (Mr Slick). His horse then shifted in and made heavy contact with me. I had to severely check my horse. The incident put me out of the race completely. It took me 50m to get going again.”

Jockey Joe Bowditch pointed out that he felt the inside horse (Bazzooka) shifted out and contributed towards the tight circumstances in which the runners found themselves.

Pope was adamant: “The bump came from the outside horse and that put me in across the heels of the inside horse.”

Trevor Miller (trainer of Sommersea Drive): “I don’t know what it cost us. I don’t know if it was three lengths or six lengths. There fact is there was severe interference which cost us any chance of a win.”

Joe Bowditch: “I believe the inside horse came out and helped close the gap. My horse also took an awkward step ... then carried on. It was more of a hindrance to me. Even after the Sommersea Drive got going again, he was hard ridden and I was still going away from him at the line. He was never in a position to beat my horse.”

The protest was dismissed.

Leon Morton (trainer of Mr Slick – speaking after the protest ruling had been announced): “My horse can be a bit of an arrogant horse when he’s in the mood. Sometimes if you get in his way he will put the shoulder in, but I don’t believe that was the case on this occasion. I think Ken Pope’s move was a bit ill-judged in terms of timing. I think if he’d just waited a few more steps the gap would have opened up properly for him. But it wasn’t fully there when he went for it.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Mr Slick): 2.10 out to 2.50.
The winner was the favourite. Mr Slick was also the only main fancy to win on the day.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
On return to scale a protest was lodge by K. Pope, rider of the 4th placegetter, Sommersea Drive, against Mr Slick being declared the winner, alleging interference near the 300m. After taking evidence from the parties concerned and viewing the patrol video, stewards established that near the 250m, Mr Slick shifted inwards, resulting in Sommersea Drive being forced inwards, resulting in that horse being checked when taken across the heels of Bazzooka. Taking into account the considerable margin between both horses at the finish, stewards could not be satisfied that Sommersea Drive would have beaten Mr Slick had the interference not occurred, and therefore dismissed the objection and confirmed the Judge's placings. At a subsequent inquiry, J. Bowditch, rider of Mr Slick, was found guilty of a charge of careless riding, in that he allowed his mount to shift in near the 250m, taking Sommersea Drive (K. Pope) inwards, resulting in that horse having to be checked when forced acoss the heels of Bazzooka (S. Seamer). J. Bowditch was suspended from riding in races for a period covered by 8 meetings, to commence at midnight, 31 January and to expire at midnight, 13 February 2008.
Mystery City (C. Reith) and Sam’s Express (O. Turpin) bumped on jumping away. Approaching the 400m, Mr Slick (J. Bowditch) shifted out in an endeavour to obtain clear running and in doing so made contact with Starlactic (R. McMahon) on several occasions. Myndos (M. Palmer), which was trailing Starlactic, was inconvenienced as a consequence. Sommersea Drive was held up and unable to improve rounding the home turn. Leaving the 100m, C. Reith, rider of Mystery City, had his whip knocked from his grasp by the whip of S. Galloway, rider of Rubiton Raider. Sam’s Express (O. Turpin) was held up for clear running in the straight until leaving the 100m. Starlactic and Myndos raced wide for the majority of the event.


Race 8:

NMW Handicap - 1350m
1st - Honour Happy List; 2nd - Pertinence; 3rd - De Business

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Olivia Cairns: “That’s pretty much the way she did it last time (when winning in Townsville). She arrived late then too. But it’s really good to put two wins together in a row.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Happy Honour List): 12.00 out to 14.00
Favourite (De Business): 3.80 in to 3.70. Finished third.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Teary Eyed (J. Taylor) was slow to begin. Tolart (C. Reith) was a little slow to begin. Approaching the 1200m, De Business (T. Chambers) shifted out slightly, resulting in Defend The Hill (D. Barron), which had commenced to over-race, shifting out, making contact with Pertinence (P. Hammersley). Pertinence was then obliged to race wide until passing the 800m. Defend The Hill raced wide thereafter. Teary Eyed was held up and unable to improve rounding the home turn.
Apprentice T. Chambers, rider of the 3rd placegetter, De Business, pleaded guilty to a charge under AR137(b), in that she failed to ride her mount right out to the finish of the race. Apprentice Chambers was suspended from riding in races for a period of 2 weeks, to commence at midnight, 28 January and to expire at midnight, 11 February.

STEWARDS RACE DAY SUMMARY EXTRACT:
Summary of action concerning thoroughbred horses.
Horses swabbed:
All winners, Danomite, La Zeel, Shudule Gee, Bell Academy, Special Voyage, Pertinence