SUNSHINE COAST REVIEW (SUN, FEB 08)

A review of the meeting held at the Sunshine Coast on Sunday, February 8.

Race 1:

3yo & Up Maiden Plate - 1800m
1st - Lion Blanc; 2nd - Real Grand; 3rd - Craiglea Ruby

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Co-trainer Bruce McLachlan: “For a three-year-old filly to make the jump that well from 1400m to 1800m, she could be a nice winter filly. I wanted to get her up over ground. I would have preferred a mile, but there was nothing on so I thought, well, we’ll try her over 1800m and see how she goes.”

Co-trainer Jason McLachlan: “If they’d gone another furlong she would have won by more. She’ll be a mile-and-a-half horse. I think the Reset’s, you know they haven’t shown a lot yet, but they are getting them over ground now where they are meant to be and they are starting to go alright.”

This was Lion Blanc’s first run beyond 1400m and it resulted in her first stake earning run in seven starts.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Lion Blanc (E. Wilkinson) was slow to begin. Breathin’ Easy (M. Radecker) raced wide in the early and middle stages. Ah Cooey over-raced for a short distance leaving the 1600m. Approaching the 1400m, Mrs Tsonga (D. Van Bekkum) was inclined to over-race and had to be steadied from the heels of Lapetus (N. Thomas). As a result, Real Grand (M. Heagney), which was following, had to be steadied a short distance later. Near the 800m, Real Grand shifted out to avoid the heels of the tiring Mrs Tsonga and in doing so forced Craiglea Ruby (M. Speers) wider on the track. Craiglea Ruby and Real Grand were obliged to race wide from this point onwards. Near the 650m, Golden Chase attempted to shift out to avoid the heels of the tiring Mrs Tsonga and in doing so made heavy contact with Lion Blanc, and shortly after shifted back in and had to be checked from the heels of Mrs Tsonga. Golden Chase was inclined to lay in under pressure approaching the 200m. Golden Chase was then inclined to lay out over the concluding stages under pressure. Dane Raider (B. Agland) was inclined to lay in for the majority of the straight. A post-race veterinary examination of Mrs Tsonga failed to reveal any significant abnormalities.


Race 2:

QTIS 2yo Maiden Plate - 1200m
1st - Diehard Trying; 2nd - Dancetiger; 3rd - Dancingwithangels

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Co-trainer Bruce McLachlan: “I bought him for $20 000 in Melbourne. He was the only yearling I bought down there. I really liked him. It was too short for him last time (when on debut). The mother is a stakes winning Grosvenor mare. I just liked the look of him. He has furnished into a lovely horse. He’ll be a miler!”

Diehard Trying gave the Bruce and Jason McLachlan stable back to back winners to post an early double on the day.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Leaving the 900m, Vulcan Line (M. Radecker) commenced to over-race on the heels of Dancingwithangels (D. Craven) and shifted out, making contact with Good Emperor. Dancetiger, which was following, improved up on to the heels of Vulcan Line and shifted out, forcing Craiglea Bella (R. McMahon) wider on the track. Craiglea Bella was then obliged to race wide for the remainder of the race. Near the 500m, Dancetiger shifted out to improve and in doing so forced Craiglea Bella wider on the track.


Race 3:

3yo & UP Maiden Plate - 1200m
1st - Fireman; 2nd - Carry On Dancer; 3rd - Exelero

WINNER FEEDBACK
Trainer Kevin Kemp: “I’m glad it wasn’t any further. If you look through the form he has been very consistent. Yeah, Ric (McMahon) and I are going good. You are only as good as the next one though.”

The Kemp / McMahon combination has been building momentum in recent times. This Sunday win added their list of successes, which includes Metropolitan victories at three successive Saturday meetings. (Dance Girl Dance – two wins, and Malela).

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Near the 800m, Carry On Dancer (O. Turpin) was forced to steady from the heels of Newminster, which shifted in. Passing the 700m, Galaxy Stalker raced awkwardly whilst being steadied and lost ground. Approaching the 500m, Newminster improved on to the heels of Galaxy Stalker and had to be steadied. Exelero (C. McIver), which was held up approaching the 600m, became awkward and had to be steadied off the heels of Carry On Dancer (O. Turpin) near the 500m. Exelero continued to be held up until approaching the 300m. App. Jockey J. Brown, rider of Newminster, was found guilty of a charge of careless riding, in that near the 300m she allowed her mount to shift out under pressure, resulting in Carry On Dancer (O. Turpin) being taken out, tightening Mon Trist on to the hind quarters of Coral Flight (M. Hellyer), resulting in Mon Trist being checked and losing its position. J. Brown was suspended from riding in races for a period covered by 8 meetings, to commence at midnight, 8 February and to expire at midnight, 21 February. Leaving the 200m, M. Hellyer, rider of Coral Flight, was forced to stop riding and shifted to the inside to avoid the heels of Nikosi’s Haven (K. Pope), which shifted out under pressure.


Race 4:

Class 1 Handicap - 1000m
1st - Clickgotheshears; 2nd - Shooting Stars; 3rd - Gold Omega

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Mick Mair: “He’s probably a fresh horse.” (Clickgothespears has now won both first-up starts). “No, I wasn’t worried about the draw. We knew he’s get back. It’s a good run at that distance (1000m). I thought it would be a bit short for him. I’ve been wrong before.”

Jockey Ken Pope: “Good effort mate. It won first-up last preparation. He got back a bit early but hit the line nice.”

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Mr Solitary (E. Wilkinson) was slow to begin. Gold Omega (J. Taylor), which was inclined to lay in over the concluding stages, was hampered by Shooting Stars (J. Wood), which shifted out under pressure. Apprentice J. Wood, rider of Shooting Stars, was advised to exercise more care in similar circumstances. Mr Solitary had a tendency to lay out throughout the event. Haizum (M. Radecker) raced wide throughout.


Race 5:

Class 2 Handicap - 1600m
1st - Mauries Pick; 2nd - Fantastic Carat; 3rd - Magic Rocker

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Clive Sinton: “He’s very consistent. There was nothing special about the change of jockey. Eddie (Wilkinson) wanted to ride the other horse. You know I don’t have much to do with riders ... if they don’t want to ride them, that’s fine with me. He’s been up quite a while this prep, but then his had a break in-between ... he got sore feet, so we’ve just kept plugging away with him. When he went over 1200m, that’s when he got a stone bruise. A mile is his go, or at least 1400m.The barrier always helps of course. Last time (when Mauries Pick finished third) he had an eight draw (out of eight). We had to work hard there. Didn’t have to work that hard today (from a number one alley).”

Jockey Ken Pope (who completed a double on the day): “We had a lovely run, box-seated. I had to just wait for the other one to sort of go forward so I could follow it through sort of thing. Boxed up where we were, I didn’t panic. I just stayed there till the gap came, and when it came he responded well and hit the line real good.”

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Approaching the 400m, Beau Sam (S. Galloway) shifted out to obtain clear running, forcing Fantastic Carat (N. Thomas) wider on the track. S. Galloway, rider of Beau Sam, lost his whip near the 250m. Tarshae (J. Brown) was obliged to race wide throughout the event. A post-race veterinary examination of Tarshae revealed the mare to be lame in the off-foreleg. Trainer L. Madden was advised a veterinary certificate would be required prior to the mare's next race start. The club's veterinary surgeon also reported that a veterinary examination of Benragazzo failed to reveal any significant abnormalities.


Race 6:

Open Handicap - 1600m
1st - Nevada Gambler; 2nd - In Rehearsal; 3rd - Three Tenors

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Barry Gill: “He does go better down in the weights and he was up to 56kg here. We nearly put Desiree (Gill) on, but we thought if we put Alannah (Badger) on and get the claim it would suit the horse better. Halfway up the straight it looked like the chasers were going to go right past him, but he kept kicking and I think he might even have been holding the second placed runner at the line.”

Desiree Gill: “We had him the best he could be and we thought this was a race he could win so, with the weights, we thought we’d give the girl a crack at it. No, we didn’t mean to get that far in front early on. ‘Badge'will be grinning like a Cheshire cat. I can’t wait to see her face when she watches the video and she sees how far in front she was."

Barry Gill: “He has got that fight yet he is an absolute champion character-wise. He is an absolute gentleman to train.

Desiree Gill: “He is not really a people’s person. He is a business manager. He just does his own thing. He will rather hide in the back of his box than be the centre of attention, but he always put it in on the track. He always runs an honest race. He is a dog-fighter.”

This was Nevada Gambler’s thirteenth career success. The seven-year-old also has fourteen places to his credit from a total of fifty-four starts.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Stewards questioned both trainer B. Gill and apprentice A. Badger in relation to the riding tactics adopted on Nevader Gambler. Apprentice Badger advised that she was instructed to go forward and lead if nothing else showed pace in the event. She added that after beginning well, she elected to allow the horse to lead and felt that Nevada Gambler travelled well throughout the race. Trainer Mr B. Gill confirmed the instructions and stated that he was not surprised to see the horse lead as he was of the opinion there was a lack of pace in the race, and that over the 1600m the horse tended to race in a forward position. Stewards noted the explanation.


Race 7:

Class 4 Handicap - 1400m
1st - Pertinence 2nd - Winmara 3rd - Western Pacific

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Troy Hall: “You know what I was saying. I was saying ‘... off Turpin.’ (Hall was referring, light-heartedly, to rider Owen Turpin, who rode Winmara, the runner who challenged Hall’s horse with vigour over the last 100m). “I offered Turpin the ride, but his boss (Frank Philips) made him ride for his stable. Turpin knocked me off the other day when this one got beat by a nose at Doomben and I thought we were in danger of it happening again. She’s is a good mare, you know. The other day it was a harder race. Coming back in grade here she went up in weight, but I still thought she had to be hard to beat. Much to Brownie’s credit (Jockey Damian Browne), he rode her perfect, you know. He was jogging a long way out. He just needed the splits to come. They come for him at the right time. We’ll go back to town now. There is a No Metro Win race over 1350m for her.”

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Kids Show was declared a late scratching on veterinary advice at 3.51 pm after the gelding was found to have swelling to the off side of its face. Pertinence (D. Browne) blundered on jumping away. Western Pacific (K. Pope) began awkwardly. Wings Of Seraph (A. Pattillo) and Asian Thunder (M. Speers) made contact on jumping away. Near the 800m, Aurtobe (R. Stewart) was hampered when tightened for room to the inside of Foxtrot Gun, which shifted in. Western Pacific, which had a tendency to lay out throughout the event, shifted out under pressure in the straight. Foxtrot Gun (Y. Yeung Ki) raced wide throughout.


Race 8:

Class 1 Handicap - 1400m
1st - Ryjatah; 2nd - Costner; 3rd - Through The Waves

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Adam Ivor: “I’ve only had him for the two runs (for a fourth and a win). He has just improved every week. He had to dig in and fight hard in the finish but, as I say, he has just improved every day in his track-work. I wasn’t that unhappy with the wide draw here. You know, he drew eleven from thirteen at Ipswich (for Friday’s meeting) and I said he was going to do it harder there from a wide barrier. So I scratched him in favour of running here. I just thought the long straight would help him. Yet, after all of that, he managed to finish on the rail. (Jockey) Kevin Forrester ... I can’t speak highly enough of him. The bloke has been a marvel for us. He’s probably won twenty of the thirty races we have won – between me and my wife, because I have only just changed things into my name. Previously my wife was the trainer. It’s just great.”

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Jockey K. Pope (Chanism) was fined $50 for negligence in that he weighed out with the wrong saddle cloth number, which resulted in the start of this race being delayed. The saddle on Jessie Street slipped forward near the 1000m, resulting in jockey M. Radecker removing her feet from the irons and taking no further part in the event. Approaching the 200m, Ninth Duke (J. Kropp) and Costner (S. Galloway) made heavy contact and became awkward after both horses shifted ground. Count Ivor (C. Kearney) and Howdy Chelle (E. Wilkinson) raced wide throughout. A post-race veterinary examination of Pleasure Shot failed to reveal any significant abnormalities.

STEWARDS RACE DAY SUMMARY EXTRACT:
Summary of action concerning thoroughbred horses.
Horses swabbed:
All winners, Real Grand, Fantastic Carat, Costner.