IPSWICH REVIEW (FRI, FEB 27)

A review of the meeting held at Ipswich on Friday, February 27.

Race 1:

Maiden Plate - 2150m
1st - Way North; 2nd - Foreign Lass; 3rd - Battle Of Kapyong

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Rex Lipp: “I really like this track. It suits horses who can come from behind and those who want to be on the pace. Where-ever you want to place your horse, that’s how you race it. As far as this one is concerned, she’s a real stayer. She’s just taken a long time to mature. It really has taken a bit of time to get to this point. Up until recently she has been very consistent without winning. But as soon as we get her up in distance, she’s closer to finding that winning edge. I mean in the race here the other day (over 2200m, which was Way North’s first attempt beyond 1630m) the leader (Brilliant Ween, who franked that form by winning again in his next start) just did what it liked. It got too far away from us, we just wacked away for second placing. Today she was good enough to dictate the race and get the result.”

Apprentice jockey Brent Evans: “There wasn’t a helluva lot of speed in the race and I always thought we’d be a chance. My idea was to lead originally, but one kicked up inside me and held me out, so I thought, oh well I’d just sit half off it. I sat half off it and one come around. I kicked up then and sat outside it and we got a nice easy run up to the front. When we were challenged, my one dropped the bit and went to the fence. From about the half mile to the 600m I picked up and went head to head with it. I got my horse back on the bit, travelling well. Then we just kicked away on the turn. Ran on strong. The last run was his first time over 2200m (when second to Brilliant Ween). They always improve off that, just like she did here.”

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Battle Of Kapyong (M. Hellyer) was slow into stride. Strachelle (J. Taylor) faltered and became unbalanced when racing in restricted room to the inside of Way North (B. Evans) making the first turn. When unbalanced, Strachelle shifted out slightly, making heavy contact with Way North, which in turn forced both Breathin’Easy and Hard Luck (M. Squires) extremely wide on the track. Hard Luck then raced wide for some distance. Ha D’ Ha Ha (M. Paget) was held up rounding the home turn behind the heels of the tiring Breathin’ Easy (C. Reith).


Race 2:

Class 1 Handicap - 1666m
1st - Fly Misty; 2nd - Hooray Tobey; 3rd - Aurelio

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Barry Bowditch: “The other day in town (behind Mauries Pick) she couldn’t get to the outside. She’s got to come to the outside. She needs the galloping room. So that wasn’t a bad run, you know. She’s got to come to the outside and she loves the wet going. So today was her day. We had her on a sale on Friday. She had a $5000 reserve on her. She didn’t bring five, so got $7 000 today instead ($7800 being first prize).”

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Near the 1400m, Jessie Street (M. Hellyer) had to be steadied to avoid the heels of Jagerbomb Time(B. Pengelly), which shifted out from the rails. Jagerbomb Time (B. Pengelly) was inclined to over-race rounding the first turn. When questioned regarding the disappointing performance of Jagerbomb Time, B. Pengelly stated that the horse did not accelerate today and felt that it was not comfortable on the heavy track. Trainer B. Smith agreed that the horse's performance was disappointing and indicated that Jagerbomb Time had on occasions made abnormal respiratory noises. Mr Smith indicated that he intended to have an endoscopic examination carried out on the colt and would report back to the stewards the results of such examination.


Race 3:

Maiden Handicap - 1000m
1st - So Shall This; 2nd - Surrounded By Sin; 3rd - Dalsqualo

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Paul Nolan (Jnr): “He’s always had a heap of ability this bloke, but he had knee-chips as a two-year-old. He came back in and trialled really well and then he re-chipped his knee, so it’s been a really good effort to get him back to racing. First-up, he sat outside the leader and had a terribly hard run. He was first up for ages (21 months). So we gave him a bit of a break. He’s actually real accident prone ... he rolled into a bloody partition. Anyway it worked out to be a blessing in disguise. I wasn’t confident at all ... he’s paid $15, but either way I get the prize-money.
“The plan wasn’t to go out like that. I actually wanted him to ride him off the pace a bit, because I didn’t want him going too hard outside the leaders from a wide alley. But as Booby said, if he was going well, he wasn’t going to drag him back. No, he put in a good effort, although he did get the staggers in the last bit. But he’d done the work early and that was enough to win it.”

Paul Nolan had said, “either way I get the prize money.” Well the amount of that pay packet was put in question when Shane Scriven, the rider of the second placed Surrounded By Sin lodged a protest against the winner.

Jockey Shane Scriven: “At the gates the eventual winner jumps inward onto me. That meant I was not able to muster speed immediately. Then for a good 100m, 150m I race in restricted room, turning to the inside a bit, getting crowded, until approaching the first turn. After we’d gone about 150m, I had to steady my mount when the eventual winner crossed me. I come back to the outside of it and then chased forward to be running up on the outside of the leader. For a straight 300m to 350m, there was a continual inconvenience to my horse. I’d say the interference cost me the best part of a length-and-a-half.”

Jockey Bobby El-Issa (questioned Scriven): “When you said my mount jumped inwards, do you believe I was trying to ride off you or did I just let it go in a straight line?”

Scriven: “Your horse was inclined to get in quite noticeably which inconvenienced me for a couple of hundred metres.”

El-Issa: “My horse jumped inwards out of the machines, being green. The trainer told me to ride it a little bit quiet unless he tried to lead. Like Shane said, once he jumped he did lay in a touch, but I believe Shane was riding his mount inside of me. I was hoping he would kick up and hold me out, because he was wanting to lay in really bad. But I think I led pretty comfortably. My horse relished the going and I had Shane beat from the outset. Fair enough, my horse did jump inwards there’s no denying that, but once I forged clear to lead, I think the race was over then.”

Scriven (after viewing the video): “I can only repeat the fact that the winner jumped on an outward course and then come in made heavy contact with my bloke. This continued on for quite a while until I had to steady. If you divide it into two, I think the ground that the eventual winner cost me through the bumping and the inconvenience, and then you look at the position that I was unable to obtain which I should have been able to get to under the rules of racing, I should never have had to be out on a limb chasing. I should have been able to give my horse the run of the race. If you have a look at the margins and the ground that I made up, there is no doubt in my mind my horse would have won the race.”

El-Issa (after viewing the video): “I think the video shows that my horse was pretty revved up. He jumped out and got a heavy bump from the outside horse – Skye Bogenhuber’s horse (Agent Alvin). My horse in turn ricocheted off onto Shane’s horse, which I had no control over. Once I give Shane a bump, from there onwards until the first corner, Shane did steady once, probably because of the crowding. He steadied half, maybe a quarter of a stride. He never checked. Shane never once stopped riding his horse. He drove up on the outside. My horse got there. I got on the bit, crossed them and led. I had Shane beaten from the corner onwards. I skipped away and got him off the bit. I stopped riding my horse out 20m out. I could have won by two lengths (instead of three-quarters).”

Michael Nolan (trainer of So Shall This): “There is no doubt the horse has laid in due to being green. Shane Scriven is one of the most vigorous jockeys in the business. You can see from the side-on film that he momentarily steadied for about a quarter of a stride and then he keeps pushing him along. We skipped away on the turn and the fact that the second placed horse had a three-quarter of a length margin on the line was pretty flattering, because Bobby had eased up my horse over the last 50m knowing that he was second-up after a twenty-one month break.”

The protest was dismissed.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
On return to scale a protest was lodged by S. Scriven, rider of the 2nd placegetter, Surrounded By Sin, against So Shall This being declared the winner, alleging interference at the start and in the run to the first turn. After taking evidence from the parties concerned and viewing the official film, and being mindful of the margin between both horses at the finish, stewards dismissed the objection and correct weight was semaphored on the Judge's placings.
Muster Province (B. Evans) jumped inwards at the start, forcing Al’s Image (C. Kearney) in on to Iron Hawk (S. Galloway), which had to be checked. Agent Alvin (S. Bogenhuber) jumped inwards at the start, making heavy contact with So Shall This (B. El-Issa). So Shall This then shifted in, making heavy contact with Surrounded By Sin (S. Scriven), which was then taken in on to Looks Like Deano (J. Bowditch). Looks Like Deano was then forced in on to Jester Canny Go (A. Pattillo), causing that horse to be inconvenienced and make contact with Dalsqualo (L. Rolls).
Jockey B. El-Issa, rider of So Shall This, was found guilty of a charge of careless riding, in that approaching the 800m, he permitted his mount to shift in when insufficiently clear of Surrounded By Sin (S. Scriven), forcing that horse to be taken in on to Looks Like Deano (J. Bowditch), causing that horse to be buffeted between Surrounded By Sin (S. Scriven) and Jester Canny Go (A. Pattillo) and suffered interference. B. El-Issa was suspended from riding in races for a period covered by 8 meetings, to commence at midnight, 28 February, and to expire at midnight, 11 March 2009.
As a consequence of Looks Like Deano being buffetted Dalsqualo was hampered. Near the 800m Iron Hawk had to be eased away from the heels of Al’s Image (C. Kearney). Topanga (M. Squires) was caught wide on the first turn and raced wide for the majority of the event. Surrounded By Sin was inclined to lay out rounding the home turn and in the straight. Topanga lost its near-fore plate in running.
Stewards questioned S. Galloway in relation to his riding of Iron Hawk, in particular in the home straight. S. Galloway stated that after being tightened on jumping away the horse settled at the rear of the field, however the horse did not travel well in the going. He further stated that he did not fully test his mount in the straight due to its failure to handle the rain affected track. Trainer S. Ryan was also interviewed and he was also of the opinion that Iron Hawk did not handle the rain affected going.


Race 4:

3yo & Up F&M Maiden Plate - 1000m
1st - My Cara Mia; 2nd - Lemarac Lass; 3rd - Sweet Magic

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Ted Ainsworth: “She goes well, but she doesn’t really handle the wet track. The other day when she got beat here (when second behind Don’t Touch The Hat) the colts took 59 something and she ran 58 something. Today it’s been a big turnaround. The colts ran a minute, she’s run 1.01.50 something. So, on the wet track she is just not the same mare. She has got ability and I’d say her class has got her through today – that and the one alley, which can be a big advantage.”

Jockey Daniel Griffin: “She has probably got into a bit of a bad habit of getting onto one rein. I just spoke to Ted (Ainsworth) about changing a few things to correct what’s going on, you know. I’m talking about changing the bit – something a bit more severe. She’s just got the ring bit on now. If we put the lugging bit on, it’s just something that when I want to grab hold of her, I’ve got the option to pull her in. She did well today though. She doesn’t like the wet ... like really resents it. She got through it really good this time. From the one draw, not spending energy and pumping them, it makes a big difference. But yeah, she shocked me because I didn’t think she would let down like that. So, it’s pretty good.”

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Smarties (A. Pattillo) was slow to begin. Paris Label (W. Clasohm), Esencia (M. Hellyer) and Zocapa (L. Cheshire) were all tightened for room on jumping away between Her Pic (C. McIver) and Sweet Magic (S. Scriven), which shifted out. Zocapa lost its position as a result of this tightening. Near the 250m, Ceethesunrise (R. Faehr) had to be steadied to avoid the heels of Zocapa (L. Cheshire), which shifted out. Polish Queen (B. El-Issa) was obliged to race wide for the majority of the event.


Race 5:

QTIS 3yo Maiden Handicap - 800m
1st - Triple Ay; 2nd - Wedding Lily; 3rd - Flashing Flora

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Jockey Ric McMahon: “Yeah, he’s got good speed. Probably didn’t beat much. There were some pretty slow horses behind him. But, yeah, all you can do is win it. He’s got speed as I say and he goes alright. He should have won last start. He just didn’t try very hard there. I don’t know if that was to do with concentration or ability. He cruised up until about the 150m, I went for him and didn’t find much. He’s suspect at any further distance than he got today. The 800m is about as far as he wants. If it was 800m the other day I would have won, but it was 850m and we lost it.”

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
G. Baker was dislodged from Bouldercombe Mist when proceeding to the barriers. The start was delayed whilst Bouldercombe Mist was resaddled. Bouldercombe Mist was examined by the veterinary surgeon and cleared to race. Triple Ay had to be resaddled behind the barriers. The start was further delayed when Red Mohican and Bouldercombe Mist were unable to be loaded. As a consequence, both horses were declared late scratchings at 2.55 pm. Both horses will be required to obtain further barrier certificates through official trials prior to their next race starts. Facebook (R. Goltz), Moxstar (J. Bowditch) and Uncle Ronnie (C. Reith) were slow to begin. Flashing Flora (S. Bogenhuber) jumped away awkwardly. Princess Karlie (A. Spinks) was hampered at the start when Fiery Lad (C. Whiteley) shifted out. Princess Karlie again shifted out near the 700m. Flashing Flora was inclined to lay out and made the home turn awkwardly.


Race 6:

3yo & Up Maiden Handicap - 1350m
1st - Auanne; 2nd - Deenlester; 3rd - Suave Consort

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Bob McMahon: “We gave him one start last May. He was a really immature horse then – big and stupid and gangly. That was just part of why we put her out though. There were a couple of other reasons. Something cut her on the leg and we let her out because of that, and, oh, we had a virus up here for a while too. When they get a virus I won’t keep them working. I let them have a break. So it was one thing on top of another, that’s why she has only had four starts. But she came back good. Last time she was very unlucky. She got jammed up. She drew barrier one ... got stuck behind the leader. Half got off the fence and then rolled back to the fence and the horse on her outside kept pushing her back in. The main issue today was the wide barrier and we reckoned if they went fast early we’d be alright. If the speed would bust the field up so we could get across that would suit us – and that is exactly what happened.”

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Leaving the 1100m, Auanne (W. Clasohm) had to be steadied to avoid the heels of Sauve Consort (B. Stewart), which shifted in when not sufficiently clear. B. Stewart, rider of Sauve Consort, was reprimanded and advised to provide more clearance in future. Delago Spirit, which hung in throughout the race and performed poorly, was examined by the veterinary surgeon, who reported the horse to be lame in the off foreleg.
Stewards questioned jockey S. Scriven and trainer F. Adams in relation to the disappointing performance of Kalenji. S. Scriven stated that the horse failed to extend when asked for an effort rounding the home turn and did not finish the race off and was of the opinion that the horse was not comfortable in the heavy going. A post race veterinary examination of Kalenji revealed the horse to be lame in the near foreleg.
Jockey D. Griffin was questioned regarding the disappointing performance of Gimme, which did not finish the race off as expected. D. Griffin stated that the horse did not settle when leading today and felt it may have resented racing in winkers for the first time today. He also indicated he would recommend to connections that the horse may be better suited when ridden with cover in future.


Race 7:

Class 1 Handicap - 1100m
1st - Worth Doing; 2nd - Notevenow; 3rd - Your Mate Jimmy

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Kelly Doughty: “First start for me. Took the pacifiers off and just took him back to normal.”

Jockey Kevin Forrester: “I was supposed to ride him back with a bit of cover, because we thought they would go a lot quicker. But, because I was stuck out there and the horse being a bit fresh it began good, I had no option but to go forward, you know ... and he just bound away the last bit.”

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
When the pace slowed approaching the 800m, Miss October (C. Reith) pulled hard and had to be steadied away from the heels of Tie Hand (B. Stewart). Near the 800m, Feathery (M. Squires) was tightened for room between Tie Hand (B. Stewart), which shifted out slightly, and Worth Doing (K. Forrester), which shifted in when not fully clear. K. Forrester, rider of Worth Doing, was reminded of his obligations to provide more clearance when crossing in future. Way Too Hot lost its off-hind pate in running.


Race 8:

Class 2 Handicap - 1350m
1st - Make Mine Cash; 2nd - Bloodhound; 3rd - Danish Dandy

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Rex Lipp: “His biggest attribute is that he gives one-hundred and ten percent this little fella. He fights for it and it’s got him two wins in a row now.”

Jockey Kenji Yoshida: “He did it well. Good job. Up in class and heavy, wet going. He is still green. When he got to the front he got lost a little bit, waiting for another horse. As soon as another horse came at him he just started fighting again.”

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Near the 1100m, Bloodhound (J. Taylor) got its head up and raced ungenerously. Toperna, which was following, shifted out, making contact with Green Ale. Leaving the 100m, Miss Cabriolet (B. El-Issa) was cramped for room between Benragazzo (A. Spinks), which shifted out under pressure, and Media Fund (D. Green), which shifted in. Both A. Spinks, rider of Benragazzo, and D. Green, rider of Media Fund, were advised to take greater measures to keep their mounts straight. Near the 450m, Syndicate Road (S. Drake) and Miss Cabriolet (B. El-Issa) were both tightened for room by Danish Dandy, which shifted in. C. Reith, rider of Danish Dandy, was severely reprimanded and instructed to exercise more care in similar circumstances. R. McMahon, rider of Timecall, pleaded guilty to a charge of careless riding, in that approaching the 200m he permitted his mount to shift out whilst riding along, resulting in interference being suffered by Je Suis Rockstar (R. Goltz), which in turn made contact with the hind quarters of Make Mine Magic. R. McMahon was suspended from riding races for a period covered by 8 meetings, to commence at midnight, 1 March and to expire at midnight, 13 March. Timecall (R. McMahon), Je Suis Rockstar (R. Goltz), Make Mine Cash (K. Yoshida) and Green Ale (S. Galloway) all raced three wide for the majority of the event. J. Taylor, rider of Bloodhound, dropped his whip on straightening.
When questioned regarding the disappointing performance of Je Suis Rockstar, R. Goltz stated that despite being caught three wide, the horse travelled reasonably well until near the 600m, however when asked for an effort from that point onwards the gelding was under pressure. He added that whilst Je Suis Rockstar did suffer interference, it was not travelling well at that stage. R. Goltz added that whilst the horse had been successful on wet tracks recently, he did not feel that the horse extended in the conditions on today's track.

STEWARDS RACE DAY SUMMARY EXTRACT:
Summary of action concerning thoroughbred horses:
Horses swabbed:
All winners, Foreign Lass, Surrounded By Sin, Esencia, Wedding Lily, Triple Ay, Notevernow.