DOOMBEN REVIEW (SAT, JAN 31)

A review of the meeting held at Doomben on Saturday, January 31.

Race 1:

2yo QTIS Handicap - 1010m
1st - Kiss Me Katy; 2nd - Spirit Of Flatley; 3rd - Jeweller's Gem

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Steven O’dea: “She was definitely doing her best work at the line. She’s fairly simple to train. She’s a good, tough filly. I’ve never had any problems with her. Well, this is the actually the first preparation where she has had more than one start, but any work she does she seems to keep improving. She seemed to do it easy here. The last furlong was very impressive. She quickened good. We’ve been talking about her a little bit during the week. The owner would like to run him in the Widden in a fortnight, in Sydney. I said I wanted to reserve my decision until today She couldn’t have been more impressive, I suppose.”

Jockey Ivo Fry: “Well with the Doomben 1000m start, it can be pretty hard if you are drawn wide. We knew we had the best filly in the race. She can be handy if you really want her to be ... and I made her do that today. It was just a matter of given her as easy a run as possible. We didn’t see it as an option to go right back and follow inexperienced horses so we thought we’d use her early. She just took it in her stride and ran away from them. If she goes to Sydney, I’m sure she’d cope pretty good. She is pretty tough. Nothing fazes her. Like I said she’s very professional. We are very happy with her at this stage.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Kiss Me Katy): 1.65 out to 1,75 in to 1.70.
The winner was the favourite.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Ancient Dream (R. McMahon) was slow to begin. Swell (E. Wilkinson) jumped away awkwardly and shifted out making contact with the hind quarters of Kiss Me Katy (I. Fry). Bob And Dolly (O. Turpin) jumped away awkwardly and faltered shortly after the start. Miss Rio (J. Cassidy) and Spirit Of Flatley (B. Pengelly) made contact on jumping away. Swell raced ungenerously in the early stages.
Leaving the 900m Jewellers Gem (J. Taylor) and Miss Rio were forced to race in restricted room for a short distance inside of Spirit Of Flatley, which had a tendency to lay in. Approaching the 800m Duckin’ Daisies (K. Cunningham) had to be steadied when tightened for room between Spirit Of Flatley and Kiss Me Katy which shifted in. I. Fry, the rider of Kiss Me Katy was reprimanded under AR. 137(a). Swift Sands (C. Spry) raced wide for the majority of the event. When the pace steadied near the 600m Spirit OF Flatley had to be steadied and shifted out to avoid the heels of Kiss Me Katy. As a result, Jeweller’s Gem shifted out hampering Duckin’ Daisies, which had a tendency to lay out. Duckin’ Daisies continued to lay out until entering the home straight. Ancient Dream was momentarily held up for clear running leaving the 400m. Kiss Me Katy shifted out under pressure near the 200m and hampered Spirit Of Flatley which was laying in. J. Taylor, the rider of Jeweller’s Gem, sustained a harmless fall from his mount when returning to the enclosure. B. Pengelly was stood down from his remaining engagements by the Club's doctor following his ride in this event.


Race 2:

Open Handicap - 1010m
1st - Azzaland; 2nd - Simplest; 3rd - Nessuno

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Richie Stephenson (responding to fellow trainer Barry Baldwin’s congratulations): “I only got back what you did to me last time (when Burdekin Blues beat Azzaland).

“We might have a look at something for him in Sydney now. I’ve got him nominated in the Newmarket. I just put him in. It was only wishful thinking, but you have got to be in it to win it. Well you don’t get many that can run that fast ... and the good thing about it, he doesn’t give in! I’m a great believer in what old Jim Griffiths used to say, ‘let them come to you, don’t go to them.’ He can’t do any more than he is doing ... like he had a bit of weight today. Yeah, he has done a good job. He is a damn nice little horse. You have to try a lot before you get one as good as him.”

Jockey Garry Baker: “Today he was back on the dry ground and he just loved it. He was up in the weights today. He was probably badly weighted, but he just kept fighting. I believe he’ll get six furlongs. When he jumps out, he relaxes. He is not just a speed horse. He relaxes good and because of that I think he’ll be as good a horse over 1200m.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Azzaland): 3.50 out to 4.00.
Favourite (Simplest): 2.25 out to 2.50. Finished second.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Simplest (L. Cassidy) raced wide throughout. Near the 600m both Nessuno (C. McIver) and Vive Le Roi (D. Craven) improved up on to the heels of Sequallan (J. Jones) and Azzaland (G. Baker) and had to be steadied. Nericon King (M. Heagney) bled during the event. As this was the second occasion on which Nericon King has bled, the horse will incur a lifetime ban from racing. A swab sample was taken from Nericon King. Following the running of this event the track rating was upgraded to Good 3, to apply retrospectively to this event.


Race 3:

Mares 1MW Handicap - 1200m
1st - Dance Girl Dance; 2nd - Michelle Cafea; 3rd - Savanna La Mar

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Kevin Kemp: “He is as honest as the day is long. Very, very honest. Looked how she picked up that last furlong with 58kg. That’s two Saturday winners in a row he (Ric McMahon) has ridden for me. Next week we’ll be back again. There is a $100 000 Fillies and Mares Quality. She’s just a very honest, beautiful mare.”

Jockey Ric McMahon: “She travelled up perfect. She hit a flat spot for about 50m, probably just when we straightened. Then, with the 58kg, she picked nicely. There was enough speed so I could get back. She does everything right. She bounces. She relaxes. Coming to the corner she was just bolting. She will definitely be competitive next week. I’ll take the ride again, hopefully, and we’ll drop a bit in weight, so she should again be very competitive.

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Dance Girl Dance): 3.20 out to 3.50.
The winner was the favourite.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Approaching the 1000m Savanna La Mar (S. Seamer) shifted in and away from Michelle Cafea (L. Rolls), tightening the running of Daphne Ellen (J. Bowditch) and Where’smine(K. Cunningham). A short distance later Savanna La Mar then had to be steadied to avoid the heels of Michelle Cafea which shifted in. Dance Girl Dance (R. McMahon) shifted in under pressure over the concluding stages.


Race 4:

3yo QTIS Handicap - 1200m
1st - Gag Order; 2nd - Citiwyse; 3rd - Come Said The Boy

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Liam Birchley: “It was a tough test from the barrier. She was entitled to be beaten today being held wide like that. She has just got better with every run. She was still a bit green. I think she’ll really is a blinker horse, but I’ve just been holding back putting them on. I’ve tried to have her learn as much as she can without them. The weight ... the 3kg claim, helps you enormously though. You can just use her a little bit more. She started racing a late because she was always a little backward, but she’s certainly moving in the right direction now.”

Apprentice jockey Chris McIver: “Our plan was to jump out and to try and slot in just off the pace somewhere. We jumped out, we had the outside alley, and there was a little bit of trouble. We just couldn’t get in. Kept going forward and they kept kicking up inside me. Just got stuck three deep. Then we made a run and she responded well. Halfway down the straight she just wanted to run out a little bit. I changed the whip to my left hand and kept her going. If she can get a good alley next start and a little bit more distance, she’ll be hard to beat. She’s definitely go further.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Gag Order): 6.50 steady.
Favourite (Citiwyse): 4.00 in to 3.70. (Finished second).

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Guns (O. Turpin) was slow to begin. Leaving the 1000m Citiwyse (L. Cassidy) had to be steadied to avoid the heels of Rapid Tricia (Matthew Palmer) which shifted in. CITIWYSE then over-raced at the heels of Rapid Tricia until nearing the 800m. Leaving the 600m Phebetay (J. Taylor) shifted out to improve and in doing so forced Navigation wide on the track. Navigation then raced wide for the remainder of the event. Leaving the 250m PHEBETAY had to be steadied when tightened for room between NAVIGATION (C. Spry) and CITIWYSE, which was taken out by GAG ORDER (C. McIver). Both apprentice A. Taylor (Pashionately Yours) and apprentice O. Turpin (Guns) were reprimanded for the amount of whip they used on their respective mounts over the concluding stages. A post-race veterinary examination of Alioop (G. Colless) failed to reveal any abnormalities.


Race 5:

NMW Handicap - 1615m
1st - Tipsy Piggy; 2nd - Kings Artist; 3rd - Starry Dancer

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Barry Baldwin: “He (Larry Cassidy) rode it bad last time and he told me he rode it bad, which I really appreciate. He said he had a ‘brainsnap’ – that was the word he used. Basically he said he’d make amends next time and today he showed what a good jockey he is.”

Jockey Larry Cassidy: “Yeah, I didn’t have my best ride last time, although she is really not an easy horse to ride. She is a difficult ride. I mean, last time mid-race she had her head in the air. I clipped heels a dozen times and I couldn’t get her to come back to me. When her head is up like that it could very easily end up in a fall ... and it made me come out sooner than I would have done normally. If she was racing tractable, I would have stayed there. We still wouldn’t have won. We would have run second (instead of third behind Encosta Tszyu).
“Here today, I did no work at all. Even though I was out wide and still working forward, I didn’t have her under pressure. Realistically, I did no work until the 300m and she went on with it to win well.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Tipsy Piggy): 5.50 out to 6.00.
Favourite (Cassardi): 2.80 out to 3.00. Finished sixth.

STEWARDS REPORTEXTRACT:
Leaving the 1400m Tipsy Piggy shifted in resulting in Oh Canada having to be steadied when taken across the heels of Raffael Nediym (C. McIver). Jockey A. Spinks, the rider of Eleventh Command, was found guilty of a charge of careless riding under AR. 137(a), the careless riding being that near the 1400m he permitted his mount to shift in when insufficiently clear of In Phuket (J. Taylor), forcing In Phuket inwards, resulting in Raffael Nediym, which was racing back and to the inside of that horse, having to be steadied to avoid the heels of In Pucket. A short distance later Eleventh Command continued to shift in resulting in In Phuket having to be checked. A. Spinks's licence to ride in races was suspended for a period of 7 meetings, with the term of suspension to commence at midnight on Thursday, 5 February and expire at midnight on Friday, 13 February 2009. Cuban Dancer over-raced in the early and middle stages. Tipsy Piggy and Davion (S. Seamer) raced wide in the early stages. Oh Canada, Raffael Nediym and Cassardi (J. Bowditch) raced wide throughout. Kings Artist (B. El-Issa) was held up for clear running from rounding the home turn until inside the 200m.


Race 6:

Class 6 Handicap - 1350m
1st - Sir Kingsford; 2nd - Dawn's Pride; 3rd - Go Cart

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Len Bryant: “He’s a proven horse. He’s had a lot of problems but he just keeps going forward now. He had tendon trouble early. We had to give him ten months off. It’s never worried him since. Then he the EI real bad ... and, you know, just little things, like he’s had a haematoma on his hind-quarters for three months. It’s just healed now. He’s very susceptible to colds. You name it, he’s had it. When he dashed away from them I thought it looked pretty good. I was a little concerned right on the line, but anyway he got there. He’s an improving horse. All three runs this prep have been great.”

Jockey Tony Pattillo: “ It was a good game effort ... he really dug deep and put in. I think there is another couple in him so hopefully I can stay on him.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Sir Kingsford): 4.80 in to 4.60.
Favourite (Jumaana): 3.60 out to 3.70. Finished eighth.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Sir Kingsford (A. Pattillo) was slow to begin. Dawn’s Pride (O. Turpin) was momentarily held up for clear running on entering the home straight. Approaching the 300m Go Sequalo (S. Scriven) shifted out to obtain clear running and in doing so made contact with Elegant Roi (M. Radecker). Leaving the 250m Elegant Roi shifted in and brushed Go Sequalo on two occasions. Leaving the 200m Dawn’s Pride shifted out hampering the tiring Jumaana (J. Bowditch). The Club's veterinary surgeon reported that Jumaana was found to be coughing following the event. Trainer T. Crane was advised that he must produce a veterinary certificate of fitness, including the results of an endoscopic examination, before the horse is permitted to start again.


Race 7:

Open Handicap - 1615m
1st - Rightson; 2nd - Fulmonti; 3rd - Pentacity

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Barry Baldwin: “I stepped him up in distance. Other jockeys who’ve ridden him before must take the credit for that. They all told me he wanted more distance and we determined to try him over more ground.”

Jockey Larry Cassidy (who completed a double for the second successive Saturday meeting): “They went very slow and I had suggested that if we could ride her a little bit closer, because if we got back it would have been very difficult to win that race. I got a lovely run. As I said they went very slow so I was happy to pull out at the 450m or 500m, and then set him alight at the turn and it sort of paid off. It’s easy when they are well trained. I thought I’d go sooner than later, and we just out-sprinted them.”

I suggested to Cassidy that the odds on him winning the Premiership, albeit an unlikely result, were shortening all of the time.

Cassidy: “I’d be about 25-1 wouldn’t I? If I were a punting man I’d go each way.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Rightson): 7.50 steady.
Favourite (Majorca): 5.00 out to 5.50 in to 4.60. Finished fifth.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
On jumping away Rightson (L. Cassidy) and Pentacity (P. Hammersley) were tightened for room between Striking Victory (C. Spry) and Malta (R. McMahon) which shifted in. Masai Pride (C. McIver) had to be steadied shortly after the start when tightened for room between Take The Plea (J. Bowditch) and Reincarnation (A. Spinks), both of which shifted ground. Malta raced wide in the early stages. Majorca (S. Scriven) was momentarily held up for clear running upon entering the home straight. Approaching the 250m Striking Victory (C. Spry) shifted out under pressure, taking Secrets Untold (S. Seamer) out on to Malta. Malta, when tiring, continued to shift out resulting in Onalar (O. Turpin) having to be steadied when tightened for room between that horse and Pentacity. In the circumstances stewards took no action. A post-race veterinary examination of Masai Pride failed to reveal any abnormalities.


Race 8:

E&G 4yo and up 1MW Handicap - 1200m
1st - Ulladulla; 2nd - Heart; 3rd - Monashee Knight

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Kelly Schweida: “I’ve had a shocker with my run of results recently, although he had a good run the other day. He was only beaten three-and-a-half lengths. He was wide so I thought he’d go well here.”

Jockey Bobby El-Issa: “He’s a nice horse mate. He’s just sort of back-peddled, had a bit of bad luck in his last few starts. Good rider. Good trainer.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Ulladulla): 13.00 out to 17.00
Favourite (Sir Teles): 5.00 in to 4.80. Finished seventh.

STERWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
After making contact with Morning Colours (P. Hammersley), Kyros (S. Seamer) had to be checked shortly after when tightened for room between that horse and Heart (Matthew Palmer), which had been taken out by Mr Heartbreaker (R. McMahon). Monashee Knight (L. Cassidy), Stature (J. Taylor) and Ulladulla (B. El-Issa) all over-raced for a short distance approaching the first turn. Sneaky Squirrel (M. Radecker), Mr Heartbreaker and Lennon (R. Wiggins) raced wide for the majority of the event. Sir Teles (O. Turpin) had difficulty obtaining clear running for the entire length of the home straight. Morning Colours was held up for clear running for a short distance passing the 300m.

STEWARDS RACE DAY SUMMARY EXTRACT:
Summary of action concerning thoroughbred horses

Horses swabbed pre-race:
Three Chances, Fulmonti, Take The Plea, Sir Teles, Bushland, Sneaky Squirrel, Kiss Me Katy, Fasliyitsa, Innocenttassie, Starry Dancer, Eleventh Command, Jumaana.

Horses swabbed post-race:
All winners, 2nd placegetters in Races 1, 3, 4 and 5 and Nericon King.