SUNSHINE COAST REVIEW (SUN, JAN 18)

A review of the meeting held at the Sunshine Coast on Sunday, January 18.

The Con Karakatsanis trained Black Piranha produced a big effort to take out the $100 000 Sunshine Coast Cup. Jockey Tye Angland was forced to make more use of the gelding than he would have liked early on to hold his position, which left the horse racing against his previously established racing pattern, but the five-year-old still had the fire-power to outgun his rivals in a pressurised battle to the line to score a thoroughly deserved victory.

A sparkling return to full race-riding for jockey Damian Brown was the ‘human interest’ story of the day. Browne has been out of the saddle for an extended period after breaking his leg, and then breaking it again when he originally tried to come back. Hopefully his two wins on the day are a pointer to happier times ahead.

Browne shared the day’s riding honours with apprentice jockey Owen Turpin, who survived a nasty spill from his first race winner (which occurred after the line). Turpin was cleared to continue riding for the rest of the day and he later pulled a second winner out of the hat. Turpin’s double puts him on twenty-four winners for the season at the Sunshine Coast – that is a lead of eleven wins over his nearest rival in the local Jockey Premiership.

Trainer Liam Birchley saddled a double on the day.

Race 1:

4yo & Up Maiden Handicap - 1000m
1st - Azzmy Witness; 2nd - Splendid Hayil; 3rd - Macreedy

Trainer Greg Kennedy: “It was her first run for me. The horse is actually a half-sister to the Bat Out Of Hell winner (Langfibian). The mother, Heaven’s Eyes, has had three foals and they are all winners now. Bellbird Hill has won two out of three starts. Langfibian’s won fourteen, including the Bat Out Of Hell ... and now Azzmy Witness has got her win.”

Apprentice jockey Owen Turpin: “It didn’t matter whether I hit it or not, it was going to come out anyway.” Turpin was referring to the fact that Azzmy Witness wanted to run out over the last 200m. “Then afterwards she just saw the crossing, hit the skids and did a quick left turn and I went straight over her head. I actually thought that was the end of the day for me, but it wasn’t as bad as it first looked and felt so I was able to carry on.”

Turpin made the day all the more worthwhile by going on to ride a double to further extend his already sizable lead in the Sunshine Coast’s Jockey Premiership.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Elevarte (G. Baker) and Splendid Hayil (M. Palmer) came together on jumping away. Cotto (M. Hughes), which was slow to begin, was further tightened for room between Cheeky Rebel (R. Wiggins) and Azzmy Witness (O. Turpin), both of which shifted ground. Strong Spirit (S. Galloway) was inclined to over-race in the early stages. Approaching the 400m, Cotto (M. Hughes) had a tendency to lay in on to the hind quarters of Regal Milli (M. Heagney). Near the 400m, Cotto shifted out to improve and in doing so forced Hometown Hero (K. Wharton) wider on the track, which resulted in Hometown Hero bumping the hind quarters of The Ay Team (M. Hellyer) and becoming unbalanced for a short distance. Azzmy Witness (O. Turpin) was inclined to shift out under pressure over the final 200m. The Ay Team (M. Hellyer) raced wide for the majority of the event.
O. Turpin was dislodged from Azzmy Witness after passing the finishing post. As O. Turpin was unable to weigh in, stewards, acting under the provisions of AR142, declared all clear on the Judge's numbers as semaphored. After examination by medical staff, O. Turpin was cleared to fulfil his remaining engagements.


Race 2:

QTIS 3yo Maiden Plate - 1000m
1st - Heartsun; 2nd - Rovert; 3rd - Showboat

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Stewart Mackinnon: “We spaced his runs because he is a late maturing horse ... a very late maturing horse. We’d had to wait for him. He had a problem with shin-soreness early days. He’s still nowhere near there yet ... a very, very late maturing horse. He just did that on raw ability because they had race fitness on his today. It was good for (jockey) Damian Browne as well to get back. He’s my rider. He broke his leg and the last couple of years he’s hardly ridden, you know. He got back riding and then he broke it again, so he’s been a bit unlucky like that. That’s only his second ride back, so it’s a good morale booster for him.”

Jockey Damian Browne: “He began well from the outside draw. He’s still very green but he won well.”

I suggested that the others seem to come at him soon after entering the straight and, for a moment, it looked like he might be put under pressure.

Browne: “I think it’s his inexperience. He sort of waited on them a little bit. He’s probably going to need blinkers in time. He’ll improve a lot on that run.”

Browne has faced difficult times in recent years.

Browne: “Yeah, I had no luck at all really. I broke my leg, ah ... two-and-a-half, nearly three years ago. I was back for three weeks and I re-broke it when a horse went through the outside fence when it jumped from the barrier wrongly. That was about nine months ago, so it is just good to get back again. Hopefully I’ll last longer than three weeks this time.”

Browne’s first winner back around came in only his second ride.

“Yeah, it was my second ride back. I had one ride about two weeks ago on the Cushion Track just for a bit of a blow-out and to try to get my touch again. Today is my first serious day back. I’ve worked pretty hard in the gym everyday for the last two-and-a-half months to try to get my fitness at a competitive level. Now I need a bit of race fitness to top it off.”

Browne went on to complete a notable back-to-back race double when scoring again in the third race.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
The start of this race was delayed as a result of Lady Eowyn (O. Turpin) proving difficult to load. The horse was also fractious in the barriers. Erintee (J. Brown) and Copacabana (M. Palmer) came together on jumping away. Prince Of Danes (M. Hellyer) knuckled on jumping away. Squirmy (K. Cunningham) began awkwardly and shifted out, making contact with Comeonwillie (G. Butler). My Whippy (E. Wilkinson) began awkwardly. Shortly after the start, Black Sheep (N. Thomas) shifted out, making contact with Rovert (J. Bowditch). Approaching the 500m, Prince Of Danes (M. Hellyer) shifted out and bumped Heartsun (D. Browne). Near the 900m, Triple Ay (S. Scriven) shifted in, forcing Miss Occhilupo (M. Speers) over on to My Whippy (E. Wilkinson), which was taken in onto Copacabana (M. Palmer), which in turn bumped Erintee. S. Scriven, rider of Triple Ay, was reprimanded. My Whippy (E. Wilkinson) raced wide for the majority of the event.


Race 3:

3yo & Up Maiden Handicap - 1400m
1st - Damashqui; 2nd - Banana Split; 3rd - Famous Cry

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Jockey Damian Browne: “Jason McLachlan has always had a bit of an opinion of this horse. He said to me that quite often it gets too far back and flies home to finish second, third, fourth. Today I was lucky enough to sort of get in touch with them when we straightened for home and he was close enough to run over the top of the.”

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Banana Split (O. Turpin) was slow to begin. All Join Hands (N. Thomas) shifted in and made contact with Taiko (S. Seamer) at the start. Leaving the 1300m, Slid Up (K. Pope) was momentarily tightened for room by Stratplan (B. Evans), which shifted in. Passing the 1200m, Stratplan was tightened for room by Lapetus (K. Cunningham), which shifted in, and as a consequence, Stratplan shifted in, tightening Famous Cry (E. Wilkinson). Near the 900m, Atlantic Light was tightened for room by Lapetus, which shifted in. K. Cunningham, rider of Lapetus, was reprimanded and advised she must provide more clearance when crossing in future. Natane (A. Spinks) and Lion Blanc (C. Reith) both over-raced for a short distance leaving the 800m. Taiko (S. Seamer), which was trailing Lion Blanc, had to be steadied as a consequence. Approaching the 400m, Little Patch (M. Heagney) was tightened for room when racing between Verre Elite (M. Palmer) and Famous Cry, which shifted out to improve. All Spiced Up, Verre Elite and Fame Dancer (M. Speers) all raced wide for the majority of the event. R. Wiggins, rider of Sarcastically, advised stewards he was disappointed with the performance of that gelding as the horse never travelled well at any stage during running. A post-race veterinary examination of Sarcastically failed to reveal any significant abnormalities.


Race 4:

Class 1 Handicap - 1200m,
1st - Gag Order; 2nd - Rapid Tricia; 3rd - Casholet

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Liam Birchley: “She did well straight from a Maiden into a Class 1, especially from the barrier. She is a little bit slow maturing (the filly only had her first start as a three-year-old in December) but she’s putting it all together now. We’ll give her a break and come back for the winter.”

Apprentice jockey Mitchell Speers: “Yeah, she’s a pretty decent horse. She’s shown a bit in track-work. She started her career a bit late because she was still a bit small and that. She got beat in her first start (her only defeat) by Rhodamine and it’s won again since then. I did have a bit of luck from the barrier. That helped, but she is pretty easy to ride so you can just put her forward or back, where-ever she wants to be.”

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Near the 1100m, Gag Order (M. Speers) improved up on to the heels of Rapid Tricia (T. Treichel) and had to be steadied and as a result shifted wider on the track. Approaching the 900m, Just Cinders (N. Evans) was tightened for room by Rapid Tricia (T. Treichel), which shifted in, and as a result, Any Wonder (R. Hinricks), which was following, over-raced when being steadied at that stage. Leaving the 900m, Howdy Chelle (E. Wilkinson) was crowded for room by Machi (N. Thomas), which shifted in. La Bellashee (M. Hughes) and Tarshae (J. Brown) raced wide for the majority of the event.
When questioned regarding the disappointing performance of Indiana Secret, J. Taylor stated that the horse travelled well until placed under pressure in the straight. Trainer Mr B. Thornton confirmed his disappointment with the mare today and indicated he would have further veterinary tests carried out which would determine his future plans for Indiana Secret. A post-race veterinary examination of Indiana Secret failed to reveal any significant abnormalities.


Race 5:

CG&E Class 1 Handicap - 1200m
1st - Guns; 2nd - Waitaseq; 3rd - Voodoo Bay Magic

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Troy Hall: “The original draw (barrier 16) worried me, but when all the scratchings came out I thought ten out of eleven was good. I was very happy with ten. On his win the other day I thought he had to be hard to beat, but it’s always hard going from the Maiden to a (Class) One. But, on his win the other day, if he could repeat the dose, he had to be hard to beat. He can hit the line the little bugger. The way he finished off here (over 1200m) I think he’ll get 1400m. The nice part is me and the wife own most of him, so it’s a good win for us.”

Apprentice jockey Owen Turpin: “Troy (Hall) just said jump out, see where he is and try and get cover. I was probably a bit further back then I wanted to be, but we got a nice position just one off the fence. He relaxed beautifully. I just waited till we got to the straight. I peeled him out and he just finished off a treat.”

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Canefly (A. Spinks) and Voodoo Bay Magic (S. Seamer) came together and bumped on jumping away. Waitaseq (C. McIver) and Raining Kings (E. Wilkinson) were tightened for room shortly after the start between Voodoo Bay Magic, which shifted in after initially being bumped, and Ninth Duke (J. Kropp), which shifted out after beginning awkwardly. Ninth Duke (J. Kropp) was inclined to lay in under pressure over the final 200m, which crowded the running of Tower Bridge (S. Scriven), which resulted in J. Kropp being unable to fully test his mount in the run to the finish.


Race 6:

Class 3 Handicap - 1400m
1st - Cassardi; 2nd - Zeljko; 3rd - Dr Chicago

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Jockey Joe Bowditch: “He’s a pretty good horse. He’s got a bit of scope about him and I reckon he’ll get ten furlongs or even further. He was good today, like we were able to let him balance up back a bit further and see if he could hit the line and, yeah, he sprouted wings in the finish.”

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Leaving the 1000m, Akoya improved up on to the heels of Mauries Pick (E. Wilkinson) and shifted out, which forced Dr Chicago(B. Evans) across the heels of Raffael Nediym, resulting in jockey B. Evans, rider of Dr Chicago, having to check the momentum of his horse. Near the 900m, Raffael Nediym had to be steadied off the heels of Facundo (R. McMahon), which shifted in. R. McMahon, rider Facundo, was reprimanded. Passing the 350m, Cassardi (J. Bowditch) had to be steadied off the heels of Dr Chicago, which shifted out to improve, resulting in Davion (R. Wiggins), which was following, having to be steadied. Wind Gusts (A. Spinks) was held up for clear running from approaching the 200m until nearing the 100m. Leaving the 200m, Facundo (R. McMahon) and Sheeza Drama (R. Hinricks) came together and brushed. Sheeza Drama (R. Hinricks) raced wide for the majority of the event.


Race 7:

Sunshine Coast Cup Quality Listed - 1400m
1st - Black Piranha; 2nd - Bareena; 3rd - Calchris

Trainer Con Karakatsanis: “He was probably three lengths too close early on. As you can see he doesn’t finish off as good when he is that handy, but he was game in the finish. It’s been three runs in three weeks so it was a big effort.”

Jockey Tye Angland: “It wasn’t what we planned on doing. He drew well today and usually he’s been getting back, mostly because of the gate. He always jumps well and he jumped so good today, I didn’t want to drag back and come back to the fence so that’s why I sort of held my ground a little bit to race one off. At the 800m I got shoved back on to the fence and all day they’ve been coming down the outside and winning. On straightening at the 400m I was just on the fence and I couldn’t get out and get to the outside and that’s why I had to take the split through. He took off real well and put in a really good effort. His run probably just ended close to the line. He raced too close today, but was brave enough in the end. If you send him over more ground and ride him quiet he’ll get home like he did at the Gold Coast.”

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Cocktail Supreme (M. Radecker) was fractious in the barriers prior to the start. Between the 1200m and 1100m, Mystery City (C. Reith) and Black Piranha (T. Angland) came together and bumped on a number of occasions when endeavouring to obtain the same position. In Rehearsal (J. Taylor), which was having difficulty obtaining clear running rounding the home turn, shifted out leaving the 400m, resulting in Regal Castanea (S. Galloway) being forced wider. Fulmonti (J. Bowditch) was held up for clear running rounding the home turn and until near the 300m. Nexgen (K. Wharton) had difficulty obtaining clear running in the early stages of the straight. Approaching the 100m, Sequestrate had to be steadied when crowded for room by Bareena, which shifted in under pressure. Sequestrate (M. Palmer) and Tropical Express both raced wide for the majority of the event.


Race 8:

Class 2 Handicap - 1000m
1st - Falco Star; 2nd - Monashee Diva; 3rd - Dantain Boy

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Liam Birchley: “He likes the 1000m. The wide draw wasn’t so bad for him because he gets back anyway. He (Chris McIver) rode him terrific. He didn’t panic. He just waited till it opened up and he hit the line really well. Basically everything went according to plan.”

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Raptitude (S. Galloway) was tightened for room on jumping away between Prince Vallen (G. Baker) and Dantain Boy (M. Hellyer), which shifted out abruptly after beginning awkwardly. It was noted that the cup on the nearside blinker on Dantain Boy shifted in this incident, resulting in Dantain Boy racing untractably for the remainder of the event. Isaidiam (D. Barron) began awkwardly. Approaching the 800m, Isaidiam shifted out abruptly, forcing Dantain Boy wider on the track, which resulted in Raspberry Licorice (O. Turpin), Onasong (C. Reith) and Allanact (R. Mason) all being inconvenienced. Near the 250m, Certiori (D. Browne) and Raspberry Licorice (O. Turpin) came together and brushed. Voodoo Brown Magic (M. Hughes) and Allanact (R. Mason) raced wide for the majority of the event.

STEWARDS RACE DAY SUMMARY EXTRACT:
Summary of action concerning thoroughbred horses
Horses swabbed
All winners, Zeljko, Bareena