EAGLE FARM REVIEW (FRI, MAR 13)

A review of the meeting held at Eagle Farm on Friday, March 13.

STEWARDS SUPPLEMENTARY REPORT:
From GCTC, 11.3.09 - Race 8. Trainer J. Wallace reported that Forbes was found to be lame in the near-fore leg subsequent to competing at the above race meeting.


Race 1:

3yo Maiden Plate - 1300m
1st - Player Run; 2nd - Don't Do It Again; 3rd - My Fallacy

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Apprentice jockey Brent Evans: “I wish they could all be that easy. He just got a bit too far back last start. This time I was always going to use the alley and go forward. I wanted to take up a forward position. I didn’t really want o get onto the paint. Where I was she was climbing over heels the whole way. Once I let her go she just took off. Nice win. That’s my first ride back from suspension. I think I’m blowing more than the horse. The suspension time does go by quite quickly, but I can tell you what else goes quickly. The weight – and it goes up. Mine went from 51kg to 56kg while I was out. I’m back to 51kg now and it’s good to kick off with a win.”

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Craiglea Pursuit (K. Pope) was slow to begin. Near the 1000m, Grey Mambo (A. Spinks) shifted out and made contact with Player Run (B. Evans), which at that stage was racing ungenerously at the heels of My Fallacy (L. Cassidy). As a result of this incident, Player Run became unbalanced and shifted out, making contact with Catch A Chic (L. Rolls). Catch A Chic raced wide for the majority of the event. A post race veterinary examination of Grey Mambo revealed the gelding to be lame in the off-fore fetlock. Trainer M. Wilson was advised that he would be required to provide a veterinary clearance for Grey Mambo prior to its next race start.


Race 2:

4yo & Up Maiden Handicap - 1300m
1st - Hello Boss; 2nd - Alyssa Jean; 3rd - Hindsight

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Jockey Chris Whitely: “We didn’t really have a plan to lead by that margin. He had the natural speed to go forward and we thought we’d just see what happened from there. He got an easy time of it up front and did enough in the end. He might be a bit limited though and I think he might go back up there again now (to Townsville).”

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Duvivier (M. Palmer) jumped away awkwardly. Jugerston (N. Thomas) was slow to begin. Carry On Dancer (O. Turpin) made contact with Henry’s Ann (A. Pattillo) on jumping away.


Race 3:

3yo & Up Maiden Plate - 1500m
1st - Incendio; 2nd - American Gangster; 3rd - Dave The Dude

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Robert Heathcote: “First-up he ran a nice race, even though on paper it doesn’t look like it. Second-up he ran like a second-up horse for whatever reason. You know, we’ve all experimented over the years how to beat that second-up syndrome. Third-up he improved out of sight. I said to the owners today, he has only got to make that same level of improvement to win – and he has. I think as he gets over 2000m he is going to be a better horse. He is a nice enough horse. There is not a lot to get too excited about yet, but he is an improving type. That’s what I like about him.”

Jockey Larry Cassidy: “He is an improving sort of horse. I rode him his first start and in his second start he probably disappointed. Next start he ran very well and he’s carried on through to here. He had to fight a bit. When I asked him he really knew how to really knuckle down – which is a good sign.”

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Stewards acceded to a request from trainer Mr S. Hunter to allow jockey T. Treichel to ride Ignition Miss half a kilogram over its allotted weight. No Hurry (S. Galloway) jumped away awkwardly and was tightened for room shortly after between Deenlester (M. Hellyer) and Three Gongs (A. Spinks). Licorice (C. McIver) was tightened for room on jumping away between American Gangster (C. Reith) and Incendio (L. Cassidy), both of which shifted ground. Dave The Dude (L. Rolls) and Robson (K. Banks) made contact on jumping away. Near the 1400m, Lucyrox (K. Pope) had to be steadied when tightened for room between Croix De Fer (G. Baker), which shifted in, and American Gangster (C. Reith) which, when racing ungenerously, shifted out. Whilst stewards acknowledged the contribution to the incident by American Gangster, G. Baker, rider of Croix De Fer, was nevertheless reprimanded and advised to afford his fellow riders more racing room in future. Lucyrox then commenced to race ungenerously and did so until a point leaving the 1000m. American Gangster also over-raced and near the 800m improved up on to the heels of Suave Consort (Michael Palmer) and had to be steadied. When Dave The Dude (L. Rolls) took up the lead near the 600m, the pace slackened and as a result Three Gongs (A. Spinks), which was following, improved up on to the heels of Dave The Dude and had to be steadied. Croix De Fer (G. Baker), which was trailing Three Gongs shifted out off the heels of that horse, taking Kalenji (M. Palmer) out on to American Gangster (C. Reith), which overreacted and shifted out abruptly, taking Kalenji wider on the track. Kalenji raced wide throughout. A post race veterinary examination of Kalenji revealed the gelding to be lame in the near foreleg. Trainer F. Adams will be advised that he would be required to produce a veterinary clearance for Kalenji prior to its next race start.
Stewards intend to question jockey T. Treichel in regards to his reasons for leaving the course without seeking permission of the stewards. Stewards also intend question T. Treichel in regards to his apparent failure to ride Ignition Miss right out to the finish line.


Race 4:

F&M Class 1 Handicap - 1200m
1st - Salice; 2nd - Miss Courtly; 3rd - Gazillion

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Liam Birchley: “Taking on Class 1’s straight from the Maiden and winning that way when she is still pretty inexperienced is fairly difficult to do. She’s great to train. Just took a little bit of time to come through that’s all. There’s not much to say really, except she’s going real well.”

Apprentice jockey Chris McIver: “We had a decent alley. She jumps well and pings good. I got to where I wanted to be. I just sat outside the leader. She likes the wet ... yeah, and just kept going. Nobody could stay with her. She’s pretty good.”

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Salice (C. McIver) and Nikki Beach (D. Craven) made heavy contact on jumping away. Sharjah (L. Cassidy) was tightened for room at the start between Cooma Creek (A. Spinks), both of which shifted ground. Stewards sought an explanation from apprentice M. Palmer regarding the seemingly disappointing performance of Falling Star. M. Palmer stated that he had been instructed to ride the horse in a rearward position from the wide gate and stated that the mare was never comfortable on the rain affected track and at no stage, in his opinion, did the horse stretch out. Trainer R. Heathcote expressed disappointment regarding the performance of Falling Star and undertook to report to stewards any abnormality that may become apparent in the days following the race that would explain the performance.


Race 5:
CG&E Class 1 Handicap - 1200m
1st - Swirling Moss; 2nd - Notevenow; 3rd - Cotto

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Robert Heathcote: “When I came here today, the plan was to ride him quiet – because he always finishes off. But the way the racing pattern has been today, I had to change it. I decided to go forward and as it was he sat three deep the whole way. But that is the advantage of having the claim (jockey Chris McIver’s claim was 3kg). The claim offsets sitting three deep. That’s the advantage of claiming. They can sit three deep and still make up ground ... we just going to hang on to the win in the Stewards room, aren’t we? They seemed to come together.”

Apprentice jockey Chris McIver: “We had a bad alley. We got stuck three deep with cover which was good. We were probably on the best part of the track and he handled the wet going well.”

Jockey Larry Cassidy, the rider of the second placed runner Notevenow, lodged an objection against the winner, Swirling Moss.

Jockey Larry Cassidy (in the protest hearing): “As we’ve all viewed on the film, the interference approximately took place at the 150m mark. The eventual winner, I’m pretty sure, raced on level terms with me at that time. Chris (McIver) allows his mount to shift in and make contact with my horse. If you watch the film closely, the lateral and the head-on, we are both racing on level terms at that time. This is a vital piece of evidence in this inquiry. The moment he made contact with me and pushed me sideways on heavy going, that’s where he put the neck advantage on me – the half-neck advantage on me – which was the winning margin. Him making contact with my mount gave him the winning margin. I believe if he doesn’t make contact, the winning margin would have been in my favour. I think that is a very important point. If you watch on the film he is racing level with me. We are head to head for a couple of strides. He has then made contact with me. He has pushed my mount in, who has then become unbalanced in the going and he’s been able to put that half-neck winning margin on me because of that interference. I was unable to pick that margin up again. That was all because the winner was taking my line, my rightful running, causing interference on a slow track, making my horse unbalanced and giving him the winning margin advantage. It has definitely cost my horse more than half-a-neck.”

Apprentice jockey Chris McIver (questioning Cassidy): “Was your horse laying out in the straight at any time?”

Cassidy: “My horse did move around a couple of times, but I’d been running in a straight ... a complete straight line prior to ... within two strides of you making contact with me. I believe I was running on a straight line. You actually took me in.”

McIver: “My horse was going forward and raced equal. Just before it moved in it, well I won’t say stumbled ... but it half stumbled slightly. I rolled in a fraction and stopped riding straight away. Then I went straight and stayed straight for the rest of the race. It was going straight the whole way down the running, except for that little spot.”

Cassidy had no questions for McIver.

Trainer Bryan Guy (trainer of Notevennow): “My horse did probably shift a little bit, but at no time did our horse make contact with the winner. The winner contacted with us.”

Trainer Robert Heathcote (trainer of Swirling Moss): “Yeah, I don’t deny there was contact, but I think it was more ... I think push is a bit of a strong adjective. I think it was a brush at best. And jockey Cassidy saying he was on level terms ... I don’t think he was ever on level terms with the winner at any stage up the straight both prior to, and also when they brushed ... he stopped riding, straightened his mount and the horse had ample opportunity to run my horse down. I think the margin was increasing at the line.”

Larry Cassidy: “Just one final point. Chris (McIver) said, was my horse shifting around? I did state, yes he did. But I actually stopped riding prior and straightened him so he couldn’t make contact with the eventual winner. Chris McIver has allowed his horse to get in, brush my horse, make contact with my horse ... and then he’s stopped riding. That certainly gave his horse the winning margin. Maybe I shouldn’t have stopped riding earlier in the straight and come out and brushed him. Maybe I would have won the race and we wouldn’t be in here. I think that the contact that was made gave the winner a winning margin and the advantage that I wasn’t able to have.”

The protest was dismissed.

The result gave both trainer Robert Heathcote and apprentice jockey Chris McIver a double on the day. Heathcote’s first winner on the card, Incendio, was ridden by Larry Cassidy.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
On return to scale a protest was lodged by L. Cassidy, rider of the 2nd placegetter, Notevenow, against Swirling Moss being declared the winner, alleging interference near the 200m. After taking evidence from the parties concerned and viewing the patrol video stewards were of the opinion that although Swirling Moss had shifted in approaching 150m and made contact with Notevenow, stewards could not be comfortably satisfied that the inconvenience suffered by Notevenow was a result of the contact warranted a reversal of placings and therefore dismissed the objection and correct weight was semaphored on the Judge's placings.
De Sius Rockstar (M. Palmer) began awkwardly. Leaving the 600m, Brave Attempt (A. Spinks) improved up on to the heels of The Crusader and had to be steadied. Swirling Moss (C. McIver) and Willowie Lad (C. Reith) both raced wide throughout.
Stewards sought an explanation from B. Evans regarding the disappointing performance of Night Rogues. B. Evans stated he rode the gelding urgently in the early stages in an endeavour to take up a forward position as instructed, however Night Rogues failed to show the necessary speed to do so and as a result settled further back than he had anticipated. B. Evans added that the horse did not travel comfortably at any stage during the race and felt that the gelding did not handle the rain affected track. Trainer A. Bailey's representative was unable to offer any explanation for the performance and undertook to report back to stewards any abnormality which may become apparent that may have had a bearing on the performance.
The connections of The Crusader reported that, in their opinion, the gelding failed to handle the prevailing track conditions today. A post race veterinary examination of The Crusader failed to reveal any significant abnormalities.


Race 6:

Class 4 Handicap - 1000m
1st - Nostrum; 2nd - Jad; 3rd - Kirra Lyn

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Tony Crane: “The plan was to go to the front. He trialled really, really well behind that good horse of Lindsay Gough’s, Lennon. That sort of put the writing on the wall, but his wet track form isn’t really good. We were a little bit worried about that. We thought he’d have his best chance in the lead. I said to Ryan if you can get to the front easy enough just keep going. He rode her a treat.
“I think he is a very, very nice horse. It is his first start for me. He’s been working like a really, really good horse. We’ve had him for a fair while. We put him in the paddock for a couple of weeks after we’d got him because he pulled a hamstring. So, then he’s come back. We’ve had him probably four or five months. We put the blinkers on because I just thought he goes better with them on. A good friend of mine from Australian Bloodstock found the horse for me. We leased him with the option to buy. He’ll be ours today after this.”

Jockey Ryan Wiggins: “He just used his speed out of the gate. He went straight to the front and he was just too good for them. He didn’t handle the track either so it was a pretty good win. He kicked on nice. He got a little bit tired the last 100m, but he had a nice enough run early on to get us over the line.”

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Ben Hur (S. Scriven) reared at the start and lost considerable ground. A warning was placed on Ben Hur regarding its barrier manners. Red Enzo (M. Palmer) dipped near the 600m.
Stewards sought an explanation from S. Scriven regarding the performance of Ben Hur. S. Scriven stated that although the horse lost valuable ground at the start, he was very disappointed in the gelding's performance, and was concerned in the fashion that Ben Hur tired over the concluding stages. Trainer Mr B. Baldwin stated that the horse had trialled only fairly, however its work leading up to today's event had pleased him. He also expressed his disappointment in regards to the performance of Ben Hur. A post race veterinary examination of Ben Hur failed to reveal any significant abnormalities.


Race 7:

Class 3 Handicap - 1600m
1st - Plenty Of Practise; 2nd - Fat Possum; 3rd - Modern Glamour

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Frank Phillips: “We’ve changed her type of racing. We forced her to be a sprinter – 1000m or 1100m – and it wasn’t working out. So, we decided to push her up in distance. She ran a good race last time over 1500m and today, over the mile, she just proved that she prefers this trip.”

Apprentice jockey Owen Turpin: “She pinged well. They went pretty hard and I didn’t have any cover (from a wide draw) so I just let her slide a bit. I just balanced her around the corner and she hit the line hard.”

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Modern Glamour (C. Whiteley) began awkwardly and lost ground. Don Carmello (B. Payne) jumped away very awkwardly. Leaving the 1100m, Fly Misty (E. Wilkinson) commenced to race ungenerously and had to be steadied off the heels of Radio Star (B. Evans). When being restrained, Fly Misty shifted out, making contact with Kilkenny Queen (A. Spinks). Fat Possum (C. McIver) raced wide from a point approaching the 800m. Leaving the 400m, Radio Star (B. Evans) attempted to take a run between Fat Possum and Don Carmello (B. Payne), however was unable to do so due to Fat Possum (C. McIver) shifting out. Radio Star then commenced to lay in when placed under pressure and was held up for a short distance approaching the winning post. Modern Glamour (C. Whiteley) appeared to resent the whip over the final 100m. Through The Waves (K. Pope) raced wide for the majority of the event.

STEWARDS RACE DAY SUMMARY
Summary of action concerning thoroughbred horses:
Horses swabbed pre-race:
Player Run, Craiglea Pursuit, Ca Plane Pour Moi, Hindsight, Robson, Croix De Fer, Gazillion, Miss Courtly, Jamelden Cat, Detected, Through The Waves, Starelie.
Horses swabbed post-race:
All winners, Don't Do It Again, American Gangster, Notevenow, Fat Possum.