DOOMBEN REVIEW (WED, APR 22)

A review of the meeting held at Doomben on Wednesday, April 22.

Track - Dead 4. Rail - out 9.5m

Race 1:

3yo & Up Maiden Plate - 1650m
1st - Handy Hints; 2nd - Levi's Bid; 3rd - Lodging

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Stuart Bannan: “He is going well this prep. He’s been building up steadily. He is bred to stay, believe it or not, even though he is by Easy Rocking. So I’ve trained him like that, as opposed to training him like a sprinter in his first prep ... and we are reaping the rewards. I believe there is still some improvement in the horse. We wanted him off the pace. We didn’t think there was much pace in the race ... like last time he raced, they walked and that was his undoing, you know. He couldn’t pick them up. Today he got handy and it didn’t matter what the pace was. This is my first city winner. I’m very happy.”

Jockey Todd Pannell: “He was a little bit closer than I thought he would be. He was the first one out of the gates today. He showed a little bit of speed ... more than usual. I was quite happy to use the speed that he showed in the first hundred yards, but it went even better when they put a bit of speed on when we went around the first corner and I was able to get a nice trail into the run. He was travelling really good ... did nothing wrong. He got an uninterrupted run and just cruised up to them. About at the 500m, he was really just cruising along. I had them covered on the corner, mate, he was going that well.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Handy Hints): 3.20 out to 3.80.
Favourite (Lodging): 3.00 in to 2.00 out to 2.15. Finished third.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Cotham (A. Pattillo) was tightened for room on jumping away between Locheil Lad (S. Bogenhuber) and Flawless (J. Byrne), which jumped away awkwardly and shifted in. When the pace slowed approaching the 1100m, Locheil Lad shifted out, making contact with Cotham. My Space cast its near-fore plate near the 800m. J. Byrne, rider of the 5th placegetter, Flawless, was reminded of his obligations to ride his mounts right to the finish line.


Race 2:

3yo & Up F&M Maiden Handicap - 1200m
1st - Saint Minerva; 2nd - Owners Rule; 3rd - La Tomatina

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Alan Bailey: “She was always going to win like that. She is a very good filly. I said to Dan (Griffin), don’t worry about the draw. Just let her get back. She should have won here before when she ran into a lot of trouble and run third. She ran into all the touble in the world and couldn’t get a go at them. Then she had another run and we gave her a break. She’s been good. She’s come back a stronger horse. She is a very good filly. She’s been working with the likes of Tears’N’Cheers and Agnes Dream. I’ll aim her for the Oaks if we can get in. She’s good enough for that.”

Jockey Dan Griffin: “Alan (Bailey) just said I should ride her where she lands. If she began good, ride her forward. If not, ride her from where she is. She relaxed nice. She is a filly that is going to want to get over ground, so I didn’t want to bustle her. So I just left her where she was, nice and relaxed. She has got a quick turn of foot and she just quickened beautifully in the straight. She did want to run in a bit. She is still a little bit immature. She’ll come out of that. The day I rode her when she finished third (in the middle run of her first prep), she was inclined to run around a little bit. She’s just got that one little habit to get over now. They are going to have a lot of fun with her.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Saint Minerva): 6.00 out to 7.00 in to 6.00.
Favourite (Seqsational): 6.00 in to 4.00 out to 4.20. Finished fourth.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Uberwald (B. El-Issa) jumped away awkwardly and missed the start. Moonlight Zephyr and Over The Page (L. Rolls) both jumped away awkwardly and made contact. Uberwald (B. El-Issa) over-raced rounding the first turn. Leaving the 800m, La Tomatina (B. Evans) had to be steadied to avoid the heels of Seqsational (B. Stewart), which shifted in. Desire To Win (M. Hellyer) and Over The Page (L. Rolls) raced wide for the majority of the event.


Race 3:

3yo & Up CG&E Maiden Handicap - 1200m
1st - Surrounded By Sin; 2nd - Mr Nappy; 3rd - Colin's Choice

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Liam Birchley: “He’s been knocking at the door, obviously. We took the blinkers off. He just revved up a bit last time. He just got a little bit off balance at the top of the straight when looking for a run, so he took a bit longer to haul them in than I thought, but he got there in the end. He was strong at the line. That’s what you want. We’ve got no Carnival plans with him. We just going to let him go through the classes. He’s not a bad buy at all. We got him at a Magic Millions sale for $10 000.”

Apprentice jockey Brent Evans: “We really didn’t want to get that far back early, you know. Three back on the inside and I thought, what are we going to do here. But, I mean, he’s just popped off himself and went up outside the leader and I was just laughing the whole way from there. He had a tight run at the top of the straight, but it was granted. He only had one to run down from there and he did it well. Hit the line real good.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Surrounded By Sin): 1.80 out to 2.00.
The winner was the favourite.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Surrounded By Sin (B. Evans) and Tradies Hope (S. Drake) were tightened for room on jumping away between Coopers Comet (Michael Palmer), which jumped away awkwardly and shifted outwards, and Zaman (L. Cheshire), which jumped inwards. Cocorvada (J. Morris) and Little Shrewdie (Matthew Palmer) were both slow to begin. T. Treichel, rider of Colins Choice, was severely reprimanded for failing to take sufficient measures to straighten his mount shortly after the start, causing Lander (S. Scriven) to be inconvenienced and taken in on to Bootooloo (B. Stewart), which had to be checked to avoid the heels of Ruling Party (R. Goltz), which was racing to the inside. Tradies Hope (S. Drake), which was inclined to pull hard near the 800m, had to be steadied to avoid the heels of Bootooloo (B. Stewart), which shifted in. A post-race veterinary examination of Tradies Hope revealed the gelding had been galloped on and sustained an abrasion to the off-hind leg.


Race 4:

3yo Class 3 Handicap - 1200m
1st – Bretonneux; 2nd – Mazuka; 3rd - Gorm The Old

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Brian Wakefield: “Took the shortest way home. He got the breaks today, of course. He is one of those horses ... you know, he goes to sleep ... wherever you put him he’ll be happy. I noticed Scott (Seamer) had to give him a little stoke about 700m out. He was just starting to relax too much. As soon as he gives him a little push then he is straight back on the bridle again. There is still improvement in the horse, I think. He has had over a month off in-between runs, you know, so that’s a fair effort. As I said last time, he has had a good solid education and a good foundation, so hopefully he can reward everyone’s patience. The Guineas is our ultimate target with him, but we have to take care of the steps along the way and try to do enough to get into the race. We’ll be looking for a Saturday run for him now. He was entered for Saturday, but I just thought we’d take small steps at this stage. I’ve been that bloody toey about getting a good track. We got one, so we took it. Also there was probably a question mark with the 1400m on Saturday. With the month between runs it might just have been a bit too much for him. So we came here instead.”

Jockey Scott Seamer: “I did have to give him a reminder, because he relaxes so well. The run came and he was able to take it. He finishes his races off. A lot of the time you get the run but the horse is not able to take it. He’s an up-and-coming horse. When the run presents itself he can take it. He’s got a future.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Bretonneux): 4.20 out to 5.00 in to 4.80.
Favourite (Mazuka): 2.10 out to 3.50. Finished second.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Frozone (C. Whiteley) and Don’tstop Believin (B. El-Issa) were slow to begin. Zahite (K. Yoshida) was inclined to pull hard at the heels of Multire Music (B. Evans) approaching the first turn. Near the 300m, Zahite (K. Yoshida) shifted out to improve and made contact with Beyond The Limit (C. Reith).
Stewards questioned C. Whiteley as to his riding tactics on Frozone, particularly in the straight. C. Whiteley stated that on entering the straight he attempted to position the horse into a run between Don’tstop Believin (B. El-Issa) and Nikki Beach (D. Craven), however at the 300m was unable to proceed due to both horses shifting ground and he was then obliged to alter course to the inside. He added that over the latter stages of the race when clear Frozone finished the race off well despite being inclined to hang in. The explanation was noted.


Race 5:

F&M Class 3 Div 1 Handicap - 1110m
1st - Sherann; 2nd - Miss Maggie; 3rd - Celestafy

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Les Kelly: “She took no prisoners there. She is that good. We had to run her to get into the Silk Stocking (at the Gold Coast on May2). In her first run she spread her legs at the start and hurt a muscle in her shoulder. So that explains that poor performance. We gave her some time out after that run. Then she came back and won first-up at the Coast. She won pretty much the same way she did today. The difference was that when she won at the Coast, she didn’t really handle the heavy going down there. With the better going, we were a bit more confident today, but nobody else was. She is out of that good dam Elite Warrior. Elite Warrior is the dam of Borsha’s Warrior and Borsha’s Mark ... and now this one. She’s only had the three to race. This filly will go to the Silk Stocking now.”

Jockey Bobby El-Issa: “She is a good filly. She is going places. First - the Silk Stocking!”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Sherann): 13.00 out to 14.00.
Favourite (Acquired): 2.80 out to 3.50. Finished sixth.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
As L Cassidy was to be overweight stewards permitted B El-Issa as the replacement rider for Sherann. L Cassidy was fined the sum of $100 under AR120(b). Mona Star (J. Byrne) was inclined to lay out in the middle stages of the event. Near the 600m, Arctic Echo (A. Taylor), which was inclined to lay out, made contact with Miss Maggie (M. Radecker), which had a tendency to shift in. Mona Star was inclined to hang out in the middle stages.
Apprentice A. Taylor, rider of Arctic Echo, pleaded guilty to a charge of careless riding in that near the 250m she permitted her mount to shift in when not sufficiently clear of Canadian Poppy (R. Goltz), which resulted in Canadian Poppy having to be checked. A. Taylor was suspended from riding in races for a period covered by 7 meetings, to commence at midnight, 25 April and to expire at midnight, 6 May 2009.
A warning was issued to the connections of Miss Courtly, which appeared to attempt to savage Celestafy near the 650m.


Race 6:

F&M Class 3 Div 2 Handicap - 1110m
1st - Martha's Vineyard; 2nd - Falvalea; 3rd - Cicarelli/Brookie Babe

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer David Murphy: “That’s the way she has got to go. She has to go forward and try to dictate things. He rides her a treat that bloke. Bobby (El-Issa) rides her really good, you know. He suits that mare. She’s got a few problems. She’s got bad feet and that. This track today suits here. She had a problem her last start. She had five weeks between runs because she got an infection in her leg. We had to treat her with penicillin and stuff. So her training was interrupted. So she just wasn’t fit enough. Apart from that though, she has won three out of her last four starts.”

Jockey Bobby El-Issa (who completed a race-to-race double on the day): “She is a speed filly, mate. David (Murphy) does a good job with her. I think the further they go, the further she will with by. The last start ... well, she hadn’t seen the gates in for a couple of weeks but, once she is in front this filly, she dictates terms. She is a natural front-runner. She’ll take some catching over further.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Martha’s Vineyard): 6.00 out to 7.50.
Favourite (Brookie Babe): 3.50 out to 4.40. Finished in a dead-heat for third.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Moncalieri (S. Galloway) jumped away awkwardly and bumped the hind quarters of Cicarelli (A. Taylor). Chabeli (L. Cassidy) also jumped away awkwardly. Musically (T. Treichel) was slow to begin.
Passing the 800m, Miss Echelon (M. Radecker), which was inclined to pull hard, shifted out from behind the heels of Falvalea (D. Craven). Miss Echelon continued to pull hard and raced ungenerously and near the 600m shifted out, inconveniencing Slinky Chelle (R. Wiggins), which had to be eased as a result. Moncalieri (S. Galloway), which was following, was also inconvenienced. Cicarelli (A. Taylor) raced wide for the majority of the race. M. Radecker, rider of Miss Echelon, reported that, in her opinion, the mare pulled hard in running and choked down. A post-race veterinary examination of Miss Echelon failed to reveal any abnormalities.
When questioned regarding the seemingly disappointing performance of Moncalieri, S. Galloway stated that he was not entirely disappointed with the filly's run today as she had stepped up in class and he felt the filly was not entirely suited by the pattern of the race with the pace being slow in the early and middle stages.


Race 7:

CG&E Class 3 Handicap - 1110m
1st - Cat Eyes; 2nd - Snorkel; 3rd - Unsupervised

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Kelso Wood: “He’s been off quite a while (nine months). He had a problem with one of his feet. A bone was rotating. So we basically had to give him a lot of time so that his foot could grow properly. He was ridden to perfection today. From a good barrier you can run up behind the pace like that. He’s got a bit of gate speed you can use from a good draw. But this was fresh up after a rest, you know. He’ll get up to a mile quite comfortably.”

Jockey Danny Craven: “I sat just off the speed and ... yeah, I had their measure most of the way. I always had them covered. Just when he got to the front he sort of half wanted to wait for them. He pulled up waiting for the second horse to skip up and then he got going again. He did it easy. It was just too good for them. Kelso Wood trains them that way.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Cat Eyes): 6.00 out to 7.50.
Favourite (Nicolo Sequalo): 4.80 in to 3.70 out to 3.80. Finished tenth.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Sword Of Damocles (R. Goltz) was inclined to lay out rounding the first turn. Approaching the 600m, Sword Of Damocles, which was inclined to over-race, improved up on to the heels of Zdarsky (K. Banks). Rounding the home turn, Cat Eyes (D. Craven) shifted out to improve, forcing Zdarsky wider on the track. On straightening, King Of Spirit (M. Hughes) attempted to shift out from behind the heels of Zdarsky, making contact with Sword Of Damocles, resulting in that horse shifting out on to Unsupervised (C. Reith) and Mr Standfast (S. Seamer), forcing those two runners wider on the track. M. Hughes, rider of King Of Spirit, was instructed to exercise more care when attempting to shift ground. Snorkel (Michael Palmer) was held up in the early stages of the straight. Near the 100m, Ponche Soto (S. Bogenhuber) had to be steadied when improving onto the heels of the tiring Nicolo Sequalo and shifted in to obtain clear running.
When questioned regarding the performance of Nicolo Sequalo, J. Byrne stated that the gelding, which was resuming from a spell, was inclined to over-race and as a consequence did not finish the race off as expected. A post-race veterinary examination of Nicolo Sequalo failed to reveal any abnormalities.
A post-race veterinary examination of Unsupervised revealed the gelding to be exhibiting an abnormal respiratory noise. A veterinary clearance will be required for the gelding prior to its next race start. The veterinary surgeon also reported Zdarsky had sustained a minor laceration to the off side nostril.


Race 8:

Class 4 Handicap - 1650m
1st - Frisco's In Charge; 2nd - Showciti; 3rd - Raincoat

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Frank Phillips: “He was ridden upside-down today - but we still got the result. I don’t exactly know why that happened, but the horse seemed very fresh walking around here before the race and I think he ran accordingly.”

Jockey Jason Taylor: “Yeah, he was ridden upside-down. There didn’t look to be too much pace in the race and the horse began probably a little bit better than I thought he would and he got travelling a little bit stronger than I thought he would. So we were naturally closer than I thought I thought we would be. He just wanted to pull a bit through the race. I had to go a touch early too, which didn’t help. But he survived that pressure in the finish. He just kept fighting.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Frisco’s In Charge): 6.00 out to 8.50.
Favourite (Raincoat): 2.70 out to 3.50. Finished third.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
As L Cassidy was to be overweight stewards permitted S. Seamer as the replacement rider for Starelie. L Cassidy was fined the sum of $100 under AR120(b). Starelie (S. Seamer) and Hike (S. Scriven) were tightened shortly after the start between Raincoat (L. Rolls), which shifted out, and Showciti (A. Pattillo), which shifted in. When the pace slowed passing the 1200m, Hike (S. Scriven) raced ungenerously and had to be checked off the heels of Frisco’s In Charge (J. Taylor). Hike then shifted inwards on to the rails, forcing Starelie to be checked and strike the running rail. Magique Mine (B. El-Issa) and Cassardi (A. Taylor) and Lucky Toss (K. Banks) were all hampered and forced wider. Showciti was held up for clear running for some distance rounding the home turn and until near the 200m. Passing the 200m, Showciti was momentarily cramped for room when taking a narrow run between Frisco’s In Charge (J. Taylor) and Three Tenors (B. Evans), which shifted out. After passing the winning post, ShowcitiI shifted in, tightening the running of Three Tenors, causing Three Tenors to be checked. A. Pattillo, rider of Showciti, was advised to exercise more care.


Race 9:

Class 6 Handicap - 1350m
1st - Manic Monday; 2nd - Silvern; 3rd - Superfly

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Paul Nolan (Jnr): “This was overdue. She just had to bring her Saturday form here. She’s just been busting to win one. She hasn’t had much luck her last five or six runs. Continually draws bad alleys. She drew a decent alley today, for her ... but, yet again, just a brilliant ride from Bobby (El-Issa, you know ... and another El Moxie. This whole combination has been working well for us in recent times. I feel she really deserved that win and it was a good thing for us because we are going to breed from her later this year. She is probably best around this sort of distance. The key to her is getting enough pace on and there was nice pace on there today. So, yeah, probably around that distance, but, who knows, if she got into a 1400m or 1500m with pace on, she probably would still hit the line good. She is going to find it hard now in the Winter, but if she can strike the right Class 6 with a bit of pace on, she might be some chance. Either way, we are going to stay clear of the Fillies and Mares Listed races and things like that. ”

This result gave jockey Bobby El-Issa his third winner on the day.

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Manic Monday): 5.00 out to 7.00.
Favourite (Black Morgan): 2.40 in to 2.30 out to 2.35. Finished fifth.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Apprentice L. Rolls was fined $100 for accepting an engagement on Calumet when he held an engagement on Black Morgan. Black Morgan (L. Rolls) was held up rounding the home turn and had difficulty gaining clear running in the straight. Jacaranda Leader (S. Galloway) raced wide throughout.

STEWARDS RACE DAY SUMMARY EXTRACT:
Summary of action concerning licensees:
Reprimands:
Race 3. Terry Treichel - Jockey - C/riding - AR137(a)*
Fines:
Race 5. L Cassidy - Overweight $100 AR120(b)
Race 8. L Cassidy - overweight $100 AR120(b)
Race 9. Luke Rolls - A/jockey - Dual engagement - $100 - AR85B*
Suspensions:
Race 5. Amy Taylor - A/jockey - C/riding - 7 meetings, m/n 25.4.09 to m/n 6.5.09

Summary of action concerning thoroughbred horses:
Horses swabbed:
All winners, Silvern, Snorkel, Mr Nappy, Levi's Bid, Surrounded By Sin, Mazuka, Falvalea
Warning:
Race 5. Miss Courtly - Attempt to savage