SUNSHINE COAST REVIEW (SUN, APR 05)

A review of the meeting held on the Cushion Track at the Sunshine Coast on Sunday. April 5.

Race 1:

3yo & Up Maiden Handicap - 1600m
1st - Belboah; 2nd - Wedding Lily; 3rd - Crazy Woman

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Robert Wilson: “Actually, the same fella that owns Abirra, the other horse that won here for me last week, he owns this horse. I leased it out to five of my previous owners for him. He is a very hard-going horse, so we did a couple of gear changes (blinkers off, cross-over nose band on first time, nose roll on first-time) and everything seemed to balance out.”

Apprentice jockey Jana Piper: “It was very easy. I just had to jump and run and make sure that he hit the line, because he has been known to stop the last little bit. He travelled well. He did everything right. Full credit to the trainer. The horse was perfect first-up. Anyone could have won on it!”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Belboah): 3.10 out to 3.20 in to 2.40.
The winner was the favourite.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Questify (K. Pope) was slow to begin. Approaching the 800m, Questify began to over-race and had to be steadied off the heels of Leica Lion (M. Heagney) and as a result then commenced to lay out for a short distance. Wedding Lily (J. Brown) raced wide for the majority of the event.


Race 2:

3yo & Up Maiden Plate - 1100m
1st - John’s Gem: 2nd - Kenny’s Magic; 3rd - Abode

WINNER FEEDBACK:
John’s Gem had previously finished runner-up in his first start for his new stable (in a run at the Gold Coast). This time, second-up since relocating from Victoria, the three-year-old filly took no prisoners, winning every bit as easily as the 3.50 length winning margin suggests under a super-confident ride by Scott Galloway. This breakthrough win came in the lightly raced filly’s seventh career start.

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (John’s Gem): 2.50 out to 2.70. Equal favourite.
Equal Favourite (Once More Brother): 2.50 out to 2.70. Finished fifth.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Abode (K. Pope) began awkwardly and shifted out, inconveniencing Lala La Vin (M. Hellyer), which in turn shifted out, making contact with the hind quarters of Semipower (A. Merritt). Kalinga Echo (G. Geran) raced wide for the majority of the event. Once More Brother lost its off-fore plate in running.


Race 3:

3yo & Up Maiden Handicap - 1600m
1st - Vision Of Falvalon; 2nd - No Fear Of Heights; 3rd - Mythical

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer David Peoples: “She needed the extra distance. All of those runs over 1100m (first-up and second-up) she seemed to be working home nice, you know. She was getting fitter and fitter all the time and she is out of a mare that liked a bit of ground. It went more or less as we anticipated. We always said we thought she’d get 2000m. I can’t see why on a run like that – like, even though it is a Maiden – I can’t see why she shouldn’t step up to the longer journey. She’s improving every run, so I’m very happy with here.”

Jockey Anthony Erhart, rider of the third placed Mythical lodged a protest against the winner, leaving the final outcome of the race to be decided in the Stewards Room.

Jockey Erhart (giving his grounds for objection): Inside the last furlong, Michael Heagney’s horse (Visions Of Falvelon) came up got level with me and then just started to veer in and basically checked me out of it. It’s hard to say just how much ground the incident has cost me (the final margin between the two horses ie between first and third, was 2.75 lengths). It was pretty significant with my horse being a long-striding horse. I had to check because I had no clear running. I had to stop riding.

Jockey Michael Heagney had no questions for jockey Anthony Erhart.

Jockey Heagney (giving his statement): “I tracked Tony (Erhart) into the race. I felt I was always going better than Tony. I popped off his back and went up to him ... quite easy. I did go to run right past him. My horse did sort of want to roll in, so I had to stop riding him about four or five times in the straight. I did sort of duck in towards him. I don’t say I hampered him, but I did keep coming off him. I don’t know if there was shift from the inside, because I didn’t feel mine shifted that much. He did want to keep coming in towards him, but every-time I pulled him out. I never used the whip on the horse and, once she sort of got clear of that, she went right away beat them quite easily at the line. With the margin and the way she finished, I thought she won pretty easily actually. And I just thought there might have been a shift from the inside that contributed to the incident, because like I said, I didn’t think my horse shifted that much.”

After viewing the film ...

Jockey Heagney: “I believe the interference came from the inside horse (No Fear Of Heights). He is under the stick and he’s come out and put pressure on Tony’s horse, taking Tony’s horse onto mine. At the same time I think Tony’s horse is starting to weaken. My horse has gone past Tony’s horse and the inside horse has come out and put pressure on him. It took him out. He’s probably hit my horses hind-quarters. That probably just turned my horse’s head in. As he hit my hindquarters it probably turned my whole horse inside, and I probably bumped him. But the interference came from the inside. It may have looked worse when Tony grabbed hold, because he got put out across my heels ... behind my hindquarters and grabbed hold ... it made it worse because the horse got unbalanced and sort of kept going sideways. It was probably getting tired at the same time, but I’m now convinced that ninety-nine percent of the shift came from the inside, which put Tony’s horse out in to me.”

Trainer David Peoples (trainer of the Visions Of Falvelon): “I think Tony was always going to run third. Just looking at that film, I do agree there was a fair bit of the inside horse coming out and I notice in the enclosure that he pulled up sore that horse, so whether he was running away from something ... it was in his front. He obviously was hanging out. Our horse did hang in a little bit also, but like Michael said, he never hit him with the stick and he tried to keep him off the Tony’s horse.”

The protest was dismissed.

The chances are that, had jockey Erhart objected against both of the runners who had beaten him to the line, the second and third placings would have been reversed as the viewing of the film placed the bulk of the blame for the interference, which Erhart’s horse clearly suffered, on the second placed runner No Fear Of Heights. No protest had been lodged against the second placed runner. (See Stewards Report).

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Vision Of Falvelon): 4.20 out to 4.80 in to 4.60
Favourite (No fear Of heights): 1.60 out to 1.70 in to 1.65.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
On return to scale a protest was lodged by A. Erhart, rider of the 3rd placegetter Mythical, against Vision Of Falvelon being declared the winner, alleging interference over the final 200m. After taking evidence from the parties concerned, stewards found that near the 100m Mythical had to be checked when tightened for room between Vision Of Falvelon and No fear Of Heights, which shifted out under pressure. In the circumstances, the protest was dismissed and correct weight was semaphored on the Judge's placings. At a subsequent inquiry, apprentice M. Speers, rider of No fear Of Heights, pleaded guilty to a charge of careless riding, in that at approximately the 100m he allowed his mount to shift out when being ridden along, resulting in Mythical (A. Erhart) having to be checked when tightened for room between Vision Of Falvelon (M. Heagney) and No fear Of Heights. M. Speers was suspended from riding in races for a period covered by 7 meetings, to commence at midnight, 9 April and to expire at midnight, 18 April 2009.
Brilliant Con (J. Bowditch) was slow to begin. Night Shadow (M. Hellyer) began awkwardly. Approaching the 1200m, Biscays Best (K. Pope) commenced to over-race and laid in. When being corrected, the saddle on Biscays Best shifted to the near-side of the gelding, placing its rider at a disadvantage for the remainder of the event. As a result, the horse was unable to be fully tested at any stage of the event. Vision Of Falvelon (M. Heagney) and Mythical (A. Erhart) raced wide for the majority of the event.
A post-race veterinary examination of No fear Of Heights revealed the gelding to be lame in the near fore fetlock. Trainer M. Flanigan was advised that he would be required to supply a full veterinary certificate of soundness prior to competing in a race or barrier trial.


Race 4:

F&M Class 1 Handicap - 1400m,
1st - Bumper Harvest; 2nd - Sweet Addiction; 3rd - Electric Lass

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Tony Sears: “That was the plan, Just to ride her quiet. She pulled pretty hard at Dalby the other day and we just wanted to ride her a bit quiet. She had nearly a month between runs last start. She was a bit fat, you know. She went good today.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Bumper Harvest): 3.30 out to 3.60.
Favourite (Ana Me Cori): 2.10 out to 2.20. Finished fifth.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Both Bumper Harvest (A. Pattillo) and Electric Lass (S. Galloway) began awkwardly and lost ground. Near the 1100m, Bumper Harvest (A. Pattillo) over-raced and threw its head in the air. Electric Lass raced wide from shortly after the start until a point leaving the 1000m where he elected to go forward to obtain a position closer to the rail. Rumpapumpum (A. Erhart) over-raced in middle stages. Electric Lass lost its off-fore plate in running.
When questioned regarding his riding tactics over the final 500m, D. Brown, rider of Sweet Addiction, stated that his instructions were to ride the mare back in the field, as is its normal racing pattern, and not to place Sweet Addiction under pressure until inside the 200m, as the mare possesses only a short sprint. These riding instructions were confirmed by trainer S. Mackinnon, who stated that at the mare's previous start it had failed to finish the race off after obtaining the lead in the straight, and that as Sweet Addiction only possesses a short sprint, it was in the mare's best interests to be to be saved for a final sprint. Stewards noted their explanations. A post-race veterinary examination of Ana Me Cori failed to reveal any significant abnormalities.


Race 5:

CG&E Class 1 Handicap - 1400m
1st - Catwalk Strut: 2nd - Samsoon; 3rd - Okomoto Tamasakura

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Nicole Bruce: “He needed that first win. Now he knows what it is all about. He’s got more confidence now ... and the jock was a part of it. He rides to instructions. He is a good kid.”

Apprentice jockey Mitchell Speers: “Yeah, he can’t be near other horses. He’s quite happy when he’s out the back and has nothing around him. When you ask him to quicken, he quickens a lot better than you thought he would. He is sort of a bit lazy and then lets down real good. I think he’ll get a mile.”

After taking twenty-one runs to score his breakthrough win, Catwalk Strut wasted little time in doubling his number of victories. The gelding backed up from last week (where he secured his Maiden victory) to score his second successive win in almost a carbon-copy performance of the way in which he won a week ago.

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Catwalk Strut): 5.50 steady.
Favourite (Winxaarheart):1.60 out to 1.90. Finished fourth.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Okomoto Tamasakura (M. Morris) was slow to begin. Black Dakota (K. Yoshida) over-raced in the middle stages.


Race 6:

Class 4 Handicap 2150m
1st - Don Vito; 2nd - Twinkling Star; 3rd - Week Nights On

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Tony Sears: “He’s a pretty nice horse. I don’t think the Cushion Track makes a difference to him.” (Don Vito’s last three wins have come on the synthetic surface). “I just think he can sprint a bit on it. When I took him to Dalby the other day, he should have pissed in. Because the track was a little track, every-time he took a turn he wanted to run off. He should have won easy. He should never have got beat. Today he (Tony Pattillo) rode him quietly until he thought it was time to let go and he finished off strongly.”

The result gave the Tony Sears / Tony Pattillo, trainer / rider combination a double on the day.

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Don Vito): 1.90 in to 1.70 out to 1.80.
The winner was the favourite.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
The start was delayed Week Nights On proved difficult to load and became fractious in the barriers. Trainer Mr A. Garland was advised that a warning was being placed on the horse regarding its barrier manners. Week Nights On (J. Piper) began awkwardly. Near the 1700m, Bay Lady Pay (J. Bowditch) commenced to over-race and shifted out, forcing Kilkenny Queen (M. Heagney) wider on the track. Passing the 450m, Week Nights On shifted out and bumped Bay Lady Pay.
Stewards inquired into a complaint lodged by trainer Mr T. George regarding the riding tactics adopted by jockey M. Heagney on Kilkenny Queen, which, in his opinion, were contrary to his instructions. Mr George stated that he had instructed jockey Heagney to ride the mare back in the six-horse field, however Kilkenny Queen was ridden in a forward position. After hearing submissions from both parties, and viewing the patrol video, stewards accepted jockey Heagney's explanation that he was caught wide soon after the start as a result of Bay Lady Pay ((J. Bowditch) forcing Kilkenny Queen wider, and rather than racing three wide in a six-horse field, he allowed Kilkenny Queen to improve forward to obtain a position closer to the rail, bearing in mind the slow tempo of the race at that stage. In all the circumstances, stewards were satisfied with jockey Heagney's explanation and took no further action.
After the running of this race, Week Nights On returned to the enclosure with blood present in both nostrils. A subsequent veterinary examination, which included the horse being scoped, determined the cause to be attributed to trauma suffered as a result of being fractious in the barriers, and in all circumstances, Week Nights On subsequently was not declared a bleeder. Trainer A. Garland was however advised that a warning was placed on Week Nights On regarding its barrier manners. It was also noted that Week Nights On had cast its near-fore plate in running.


Race 7:

3yo QTIS Class 2 Handicap - 1100m
1st - Craiglea Falcon; 2nd - Navigation; 3rd - Tell‘em It's Easy

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Craiglea Falcon led the field in the home straight and kicked on well under the steadying burden on 57kg to clinch victory by a decisive margin. Craiglea Falcon, who was completing a Sunshine Coast double and his second win from his last three starts, was ridden by jockey Ken Pope. This was Pope’s fourth winner (for four different trainers) at the two-meetings held at the Sunshine Coast over the weekend. Pope brought home three winners at the Saturday night meeting. Pope’s Saturday winners were Bubbled (for trainer Troy Hall), Slinky Chelle (for Desleigh Foster) and Renegade Dancer (for Trevor Miller).

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Craiglea Falcon): 5.00 steady.
Favourite (Arctic Echo): 3.00 out to 3.30.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Craiglea Falcon (K. Pope) and Arctic Echo (A. Taylor) were slow to begin. Tell’em It’s Easy (J. Brown) got its head up when being restrained near the 1000m. Near the 700m, Tell’em It’s Easy had to be steadied after improving on to the heels of Craiglea Chevvy (M. Speers). Arctic Echo (A. Taylor), which was following, was obliged to shift wider on the track to avoid the heels of Tell’em It’s Easy (J. Brown). Approaching the 400m, Bonza Bronze (C. Reith) shifted out and made contact with Celestafy (M. Hellyer) on several occasions when attempting to improve.

STEWARDS RACE DAY SUMMARY EXTRACT:
Summary of action concerning thoroughbred horses:
Horses swabbed:
All winners, Sweet Addiction, Wedding Lily

Warnings/bars:
Race 3. No Fear Of Heights - Lame near fore fetlock - Vet. clearance, trial.
Race 6. Week Nights On - Fractious in barriers - Warning