ALL THE ACTION FROM DOOMBEN

A review of the meeting held at Doomben on Wednesday, September 3.

Race 1

WINNER FEEDBACK:
The debutant Arctic Echo did everything right to launch her career in the best possible way.

The filly is a full sister to Ascendant, who Baldwin also trained with some success.

“Ascendant won three-in-a-row as a two-year old,” said Baldwin, “but then never raced well again.

“This filly didn’t race as a two-year-old. Hopefully that will make the difference and this one can go on with it,” added Baldwin.

Jockey Andrew Spinks gave his report back.

“She jumped well. I didn’t chase her at all. I just let her get there in her own time,” said Spinks.

“They came at her and she picked up. They came at her again and she picked up again.

“She could have gone on like that all day. She was always going to win but was never going to win by more than a neck.” concluded Spinks.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Passing the 300m, Arctic Echo (A. Spinks) shifted out to improve and made contact with Modern Eyes (S. Drake), which was inclined to shift in under pressure. A. Spinks, rider of Arctic Echo, was advised to exercise more care. Near the 100m, Tango Storm had to be checked after improving on to the heels of the tiring Modern Eyes. Dodge County was caught 3 wide in the early stages and was obliged to race 3 wide throughout.


Race 2:

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Punters could do a lot worse than follow this winner, the Alan Bailey trained Judge Me Not.
Bailey was typically laid back and unassuming with his comments.

“He’s got nice potential,” said Bailey. “He’s still a bit of a big baby and we haven’t done much with him.

“He was hitting the line well and he will get better with experience. Also he’ll be good when getting up to 1400m and a mile.”

The pace of the race was on the slow side.

“They just stood there, then sprinted. Good win,” remarked jockey Glenn Colless.

Want a line on some potential?

Judge Me Not is by the all conquering Lonhro. He is out of the Kinski mare, Miss Guilty who also gave us Mr Innocent, a Doomben 10 000 winner.

Watch this one!

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Truthful (B. El-Issa) was caught 3 wide after the start and was obliged to race 3 wide throughout.After leaving the 900m, Mean Machine (S. Scriven) shifted out when racing ungenerously at the heels of Downsize (L. Rolls) and made contact with Truthful (B. El-Issa). Passing the 800m, Manaudou got its head up and raced ungenerously for some distance. As a result of the slow pace rounding the first turn, Shaquino (A. Spinks) was inclined to race ungenerously. Stewards questioned jockey A. Coombe in relation to the disappointing performance of Manaudou. A. Coome stated that the horse was inclined to over-race in the early stages and raced ungenerously for some distance. He added that he attributed the disappointing performance to the horse's waywardness and untrue running today. Trainer K. Wood felt that Manaudou may not have been comfortable today racing in blinkers, adding that he would remove that gear. The explanations were noted.


Race 3:

WINNER FEEDBACK:
The well supported Worth Doing won a spirited battle with the outsider Faunius in the final chase to the line to claim his first victory at the fourth time of asking.

Worth Doing showed to good advantage first time out back in January 2007 but then did not reappear until eighteen months later.

What was the reason for the long layoff?

“He had an operation to remove bone chips,” answered trainer Brian Gentle.

“He was also ‘sold’ to Korea during that time, but that deal fell through so he’s career was in limbo for about four months. They can’t come back for him because he is too old to go to Korea now."

Worth Doing was hitting the line well, which suggested he might enjoy a longer trip.

“I actually scratched him from a 1350m race yesterday,” continued Gentle. “He’s been trained for 1350m but I made the decision to go for this race in the end, so he was doing well here.”

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Leaving the 900m, Moxie Mulroy (C. Whiteley) commenced to race ungenerously and became unbalanced when racing in restricted room inside Shealma (A. Spinks). Moxie Mulroy continued to race ungenerously and was inclined to lay out rounding the turn near the 800m. Also passing the 800m, Unapred (J. Byrne), when 3 wide, hung in and raced ungenerously, causing Shealma (A. Spinks) to be tightened and taken in on to Moxie Mulroy, which was placed in restricted room for some distance despite racing ungenerously. Near the 700m, Justin Case (C. Reith) had to be checked when it struck the hind quarters of I'montop (E. Wilkinson) as a result of Moxie Mulroy (C. Whiteley), which was racing ungenerously on the rails and hanging out.C. Reith, rider of Justin Case, pleaded guilty to a charge of careless riding, in that near the 350m, he permitted his mount to shift out when insufficiently clear of I'montop, resulting in that horse having to be checked. C. Reith was suspended from riding in races for a period covered by 7 meetings, to commence at midnight, 7 September, and to expire at midnight, 19 September.


Race 4:

WINNER FEEDBACK:
This will go down as a race filled with controversy due the tearaway tactics employed by jockey El-Issa on Miss Twist and the subsequent exchange which occurred between the trainer and rider of Miss Twist when the luckless mare was unsaddled.

A stewards inquiry has still to be completed into both the handling of Miss Twist and the conduct of her trainer and jockey after the event. (See Stewards Report Extract).

The race went to the Maryann Thexton trained Falzig.

“I nearly had a heart attack,” said Thexton.

“Why?” asked jockey Jason Holder.

“I thought the leader was going to pinch this,” answered Thexton.

“That’s why I went a bit before the turn,” said Holder. “I thought I needed to get on with it. But then when I got to the front I thought, I’m here too soon.”

“Terrific ride. Well-judged,” was Thexton’s final response as it all ended well for Falzig’s connections with the mare comfortably claiming the fifth win of her career.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Passing the 300m, Shobelle (G. Colless) attempted to shift out from behind the tiring Miss Twist and attempted to take a run to the inside of Telestah La Vistah (A. Spinks) where there was not fully sufficient room and as a result had to be checked when coming into contact with Teleshah La Vista (A. Spinks) and then shifting in, making heavy contact with Miss Twist.Key To Happiness was held up for clear running rounding the home turn and in the early stages of the straight.Stewards opened an inquiry into the handling of Miss Twist. Evidence was taken from jockey B. El-Issa, trainer Mr J. Walk and owner Mr H. Hayes. After taking some initial evidence from the connections and B. El-Issa, the inquiry was adjourned at the request of B. El-Issa. The inquiry will continue at 10 am on Friday, 5 September 2008 at the offices of Queensland Racing. Stewards also intend to interview trainer J. Walk and jockey B. El-Issa in relation to their conduct in the saddling enclosure following the running of the race.
A post-race veterinary examination of Telestah La Vistah revealed the mare had lost its off hind plate in running and had sustained a laceration to the off hind fetlock.


Race 5:

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Another eventful race with the winner Papal Joy surviving a dangerous moment on the turn before producing a strong, determined run in the home stretch to land a well judged win under the guidance of jockey Paul Hammersley.

“She came down right on her nose at her last start,” volunteered trainer Brian Wakefield. “It happened soon after they jumped. She ripped a shoe right off in the incident.

“I was going to give her a freshener after that,” continued Wakefield. “But on her work I had to think that she was alright.

"She worked so well so I stepped her up to a new challenge.

“I’ve always thought she would go 1600m, but there was only one way to find out.”

The run proved Wakefield’s judgement to be spot on as Papal Joy appeared to relish the longer trip.

Jockey Paul Hammersley takes up the story.

“She didn’t have the best of starts and I wasn’t going to hunt her up,” said Hammersley. “I decided to try and ride her to get the distance and ride her for a bit of luck.”

The luck aspect nearly backfired as Papal Joy almost came to grief shortly before entering the home straight, just as the field was asked to quicken.

Zatano was racing along the inside rail when she became tightened for galloping room by the movement of horses on her outside.

She was turned sideways and then moved sharply away from the rail forcing those travelling behind her, including Papal Joy, to take evasive action.

“It was a scary moment,” said Hammersley.

“You weren't half as scared as I was,” countered Wakefield. “I thought this was just another way to lose a race.”

But Hammersley’s instinctive move wider and his ability to keep his mount balanced and her mind on the job eventually carried the day and earned Wakefield a return to the winners’ enclosure.

“It’s been a while coming,” said Wakefield, obviously happy to be there.

"She looks like she may have a future. I hope I can stay on her," was Hammersley's parting shot.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
As J. Byrne was to be overweight, M. Heagney was substituted as the rider of Bel Harbour. Following an explanation no penalty was imposed.Papal Joy (P. Hammersley) and Deputation (R. Wiggins) were both severely checked as a result of Zatano being interfered with, and Bel Harbour (M. Heagney) was forced wider as a result of Papal Joy being checked. Lodging (E. Wilkinson), Rollins (S. Seamer) and Rossies Hero (A. Taylor) were also inconvenienced when Deputation was checked. Near the 200m, Deputation (R. Wiggins) had to be steadied when crowded for room between Bel Harbour (M. Heagney) and Rollins (S. Seamer), which shifted out. Rollins was held up for clear running until after leaving the 300m.S. Scriven, rider of Latrobe, was found guilty of a charge of careless riding, in that near the 400m he permitted his mount to shift in when insufficiently clear of Rossies Hero (A. Taylor), which resulted in Rossies Hero being taken in on to Shake The Lantern (A. Spinks), which in turn was taken in on to Zatano (C. Reith) and as a result Zatano had to be severely checked. S. Scriven was suspended from riding in races for a period covered by 8 meetings, to commence at midnight, 6 September, and to expire at midnight, 19 September 2008.A post-race veterinary examination of Bentley Blue, which finished a considerable distance from the remainder of the field, revealed the gelding to be suffering from cardiac arrhythmia. Trainer Mr H. Wilson was advised that he must produce a veterinary clearance, including the results of an ECG for Bentley Blue, and that the gelding must trial satisfactorily prior to its next race start.


Race 6

WINNER FEEDBACK:
“He’s just so relaxed. It’s so nice working with such a relaxed horse.

“Mind you, he is built like a Sherman Tank so it is probably just as well he’s relaxed. Calmness and power. Now that’s a pretty good combination.”

The speaker was trainer Lawrie Mayfield-Smith.

His subject was his latest winner, the five-year-old Reenact gelding, Shooting Scene.

Shooting Scene was making it two in a row here.

“He should have won his last three,” said Mayfield-Smith.

“I know we all say that but he was genuinely unlucky two runs back.”

Not that the strike-rate is suffering too much because of that hiccup.

Shooting Scene has now on four of the seven starts he has had for the Mayfield-Smith stable and has been placed on two other occasions.

He does seem to be improving with each passing run and should be well worth a second glance again next time out.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Stewards took possession of a syringe which was found in the race day bag of trainer M. Griffith. After taking evidence from trainer's representative Mrs A. Griffith, the inquiry was adjourned until 9.30 am at the offices of Queensland Racing on Friday, 5 September.
Chicken Bob (R. McMahon) was held up rounding the home turn and in the early stages of the straight.Stewards opened an inquiry into R. McMahon's handling of Chicken Bob, particularly in the early stages. After taking some evidence, the matter was adjourned to 11 am on Thursday, 4 September 2008.


Race 7:

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Jim Atkins is a legend in his own life-time.

Everybody is pleased when Atkins has a winner, as they were when Bossie Boy returned to winning form under an ever-competent ride from Jason Holder.

Holder, who won earlier on Falzig, was the only rider to have a double success at the meeting.

“He’s been having bad luck at the barriers this fellow,” said Atkins. “So I scratched him before.

“He got it again today (a bad barrier) and I was going to scratch him again. Then I though I might as well let him run and take his chances … and he got there.”

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Bravestofthebrave (S. Scriven) and Bossie Boy (J. Holder) brushed on jumping away. Defend The Hill (D. Barron) and Albert Cadabra (A. Coome) were both held up in the straight until leaving the 200m. Bravestofthebrave (S. Scriven) was inclined to shift out under pressure and brushed Bossie Boy (J. Holder) approaching the finishing line. Stitch It bled during the event. As this was the second occasion on which the horse has bled, Stitch It will now incur a lifetime bar from racing.


Race 8:

WINNER FEEDBACK:
The Rob Heathcote trained On The Fridge scored in untroubled fashion in the last to keep her unbeaten record intact.

On The Fridge is a five-year-old who has only had four starts, which does tell you something.

“She’s not the soundest of mares,” confirmed Heathcote. “She’s only had four runs because I’ve had to look after her.

“I brought her back in distance (from 1400m to 1200m) as she was running fresh (having been off the track for five months).

“I must say she has surprised me a touch,” continued Heathcote. “I didn’t think she was that far forward.

“She might be a little better than I thought she was.”

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Kryptelon (P. Hammersley) shifted out on straightening in an endeavour to improve around the heels of Sleek Repeat (M. Paget) and as a result made contact with Shezasmith. Shezasmith raced wide throughout.