RACING QUEENSLAND

STEWARDS REPORT


SUNSHINE COAST TURF CLUB – SUNDAY, 18 MARCH 2012

WEATHER – SHOWERY TRACK RATING – CUSHION (GOOD 3) RAIL – 4M
PENETROMETER – 7.3


OFFICIALS

Chairman of Stewards – J. Williamson
Stewards – S. Kelly, G. Palmer, T. Quick
Clerk of Scales – C. Fedrick
Judge – I. Shultz, C. Dunn, N. Boyle
Veterinarian – C. Johnson
Swab attendants – K. Warwick, A. Challen
Bookmakers Supervisor – W. Flynn
Starter – P. Briton, J. Holcombe
Stewards Secretary – P. Carey

Supplementary Report

Following the transfer of today’s meeting to the cushion track after a further 60.5 mm of rain overnight, totalling 159mm for the week, today’s meeting was transferred to the Cushion Track, with the following amended race distances.

· Race 1 – 1300m to 1100m
· Race 4 – 2200m to 2150m
· Race 5 – 1200m to 1100m
· Race 6 – 1200m to 1100m


Race 1: Contour Consulting Engineers QTIS 2yo Maiden Plate – 1300m
1st – Modern Warfare 2nd – Popular Belief 3rd – Patron Saint 4th – Fact Or Fake

MODERN WARFARE (J. Wood) began awkwardly and shifted in, making contact with FACT OR FAKE (K. Wharton).

Race 2: Sky Racing CGE Maiden H'cap – 1400m
1st – Luck’s On Our Side 2nd – Le Bonx Chonx 3rd – My Mate Sully 4th – Not A Dull Moment

MORINGA’S SUNDANCE (S. Wiseman) jumped away awkwardly.

SEMISON (R. Jamieson) was slow to begin.

NOT A DULL MOMENT (L. Finlay) was tightened for room at the start between LE BONX CHONX (B. Stewart) and LUCK’S ON OUR SIDE (E. Wilkinson), which shifted in.

MY MATE SULLY (M. Hellyer) and NOT A DULL MOMENT overraced during the early stages.

NEWSTART (L. Cheshire) raced wide and overraced whilst being restrained in an attempt to obtain cover during the early stages.


Race 3: RCQ F&M Maiden H'cap – 1400m
1st – Unda The Influence 2nd – Open Heart 3rd – Jamaican Dancer 4th – Geneva’s Ollie

Stewards accepted the explanation from trainer B. Baldwin for the late declaration of rider for BALLET STAR.

The start of this race was delayed when DRAG QUEEN (K. Wharton) became fractious in the barriers and had to be examined by the veterinary surgeon. DRAG QUEEN was then cleared to take its place in the field.

DRAG QUEEN (K. Wharton) jumped away awkwardly, made contact with BALLET STAR (M. Hellyer) and lost ground.

DAWN’S SNIP (T. Harrison) began awkwardly, making heavy contact with OPEN HEART (J. Taylor).

OPEN HEART, BALLET STAR and DAWN’S SNIP all overraced in the early and middle stages.

OPEN HEART and JAMAICAN DANCER (J. Stanley) raced wide throughout.

Stewards questioned J. Taylor, rider of OPEN HEART, and T. Harrison, rider of DAWN’S SNIP, regarding the tactics adopted during the early and middle stages when the tempo of the race was slow and both horses were inclined to overrace outside the lead. Both riders were questioned as to their reasons for not allowing their horses to stride forward. Miss Harrison stated she had been instructed to obtain cover and have the horse settle just behind the lead, however after beginning well she had no alternative but to position outside the leader, she then attempted to fulfil her instructions by restraining in an attempt to have other runners improve to her outside and cross her. Jockey Taylor stated he was advised by the trainer that, in his opinion, the gelding does not race well when ridden in a forward position, and he therefore attempted to restrain to obtain a position behind DAWN’S SNIP during the middle stages, however OPEN HEART overraced, and he subsequently suggested to trainer Mr T. Miller that the horse may benefit from the removal of blinkers. Mr Miller confirmed the instructions and advised stewards he would consider this gear change for the horse’s next race start.

A post-race veterinary examination of ANGELA’S STAR, which tailed off and finished a distant last, failed to reveal any significant abnormalities.

A post-race veterinary examination of DRAG QUEEN, which hung in under pressure from the 400m, causing its rider to be unable to fully test the horse, found it to be lame in the near foreleg. Connections were advised that a veterinary clearance would be required for DRAG QUEEN prior to its next race start.


Race 4: Reed Property Group Class 2 H'cap – 2200m
1st – Collector 2nd – Spur Point 3rd – Domras 4th – Crazy Ways

MERCHANT GIRL, which was a late scratching at its last start on 10 March, was examined by the veterinary surgeon and cleared to start.

HONOURDO (S. Wiseman) raced wide throughout and was forced wider rounding the home turn.

Jockey M. Gray will be interviewed regarding his whip use on STAR ECLIPSE in the straight.

Apprentice S. Wiseman was questioned regarding her tactics on HONOURDO, particularly her reasons for not riding forward during the early stages when it appeared HONOURDO was racing keenly and when it also appeared she had an opportunity to take up a position outside the lead. Miss Wiseman stated that she had been instructed to ride the horse in a forward position, however after beginning awkwardly she had considered taking up a trailing position. She further added that after attempting to do so, HONOURDO commenced to race keenly and she then attempted to allow the horse to stride forward, however MERCHANT GIRL improved to her inside approaching the winning post on the first occasion and she then attempted to restrain and take up a trailing position behind that runner. However HONOURDO continued to race keenly and she elected not to continue restraining the gelding and settled the horse in a 3 wide position. Stewards advised Miss Wiseman that, in their opinion, she had erred in not attempting to fulfil her instructions to take up a forward position as it was apparent that it was her best option during the early stages. This would have availed her horse a position closer to the fence resulting in HONOURDO covering less ground during the event. Given Miss Wiseman’s relative inexperience, stewards took no direct action, however advised her that her ride would be drawn to the attention of her master.

DOMRAS lost its near fore plate in running.


Race 5: XXXX F&M Class 1 H'cap - 1200m
1st – Silverberg 2nd – Dibella 3rd – Kassmer 4th – On The Liffey

Trainer K. Hancock was reprimanded for fail to advise a rider for KASSMER by the prescribed time.

NOSHOWS (J. Letherby) jumped away awkwardly and lost ground.

CARTIER BELLE (K. Wharton) jumped away awkwardly.

ON THE LIFFEY (T. Harrison) raced 3 wide throughout.

DIBELLA lost its near fore plate in running.



Race 6: Yalumba Wines CGE Class 1 H'cap – 1200m
1st – Oscarmania 2nd – Rock To Rule 3rd – Vintage Flint 4th – Magpie Jack

Stewards accepted the explanation from trainer Mr R. Bradshaw for the late declaration of rider for OSCARMANIA.

FLYING INDY (L. Finlay) was slow to begin and jumped awkwardly, losing ground. Trainer representative Mrs Peoples was advised that a warning would be placed on FLYING INDY.

OCTDEHERE (K. Pope) was slow to begin.

OKAPYE (A. Pattillo) hung in badly from the 400m onwards, placing its rider at a disadvantage for the remainder of the event.

The saddle on FLYING INDY slipped down to the nearside at a point leaving the 500m, causing jockey L. Finlay to become unbalanced over the concluding stages.

OSCARMANIA (P. Hammersley) laid in under pressure over the final 200m.


Race 7: Hot 91.9 Benchmark 80 BM80 H'cap 1400m
1st – Johnnieontherocks 2nd – Grain Trader 3rd – Lancet 4th – Irishkiwi

GRAIN TRADER (T. Harrison) was slow to begin.

CHART (J. Hull) blundered on jumping away and lost ground.

LANCET (L. Cheshire) laid in under pressure from the 400m onwards and made contact with the running rail on a number of occasions.

Stewards questioned apprentice J. Hull regarding the performance and tactics adopted on CHART. Apprentice Hull stated that after blundering at the start, CHART was then reluctant to muster early speed and he was forced to apply the whip down the shoulder of the gelding on a number of occasions near the 1200m in order to take up a position at the tail of the main body of the field. He added that near the 800m, CHART improved on to the heels of GET THAT INDYA and he was forced to shift wider on the track until approaching the 600m. J. Hull stated that he then attempted to follow GET THAT INDYA, which had shifted wider near the 600m, however CHART did not respond to his riding as anticipated and it was his opinion this could be attributed to the gelding not being entirely comfortable on the synthetic racing surface. Despite this, over the concluding stages CHART, in his opinion given the circumstances, finished the race off well and it would be his recommendation to Trainer T. Edmonds to restrict the horse’s future starts to grass racing surfaces and to step the horse up over more ground.

Jockey E. Wilkinson was afforded the opportunity to comment on the below-market expectation performance of GET THAT INDYA. Jockey Wilkinson stated that after travelling well in a favourable position, it failed to respond and did not stretch out after leaving the 500m. He added that gelding was inclined to lay out rounding the home turn. Trainer S. MacKinnon confirmed his disappointment in the performance, adding that he would consider sending GET THAT INDYA for a spell, given that the horse has had a long preparation. A post-race veterinary examination of GET THAT INDYA failed to reveal any significant abnormalities.

Race 8: WWW.SCTC.Com.Au Class 2 H'cap – 1400m
1st – Red Centurion 2nd – Love That Chick 3rd – My King Oath 4th – Mr Moto

Approaching the 700m, LOVE THAT CHICK (R. Hancock) shifted out to improve and in doing so forced BLOOMIN TIPSY (K. Gates) and RED CENTURION (K. Wharton) wider on the track.

Near the 600m, BLOOMIN TIPSY shifted out to improve and made contact with RED CENTURION, causing both horses to become momentarily unbalanced.

LOVE THAT CHICK was held up rounding the home turn.

Leaving the 300m, MY KING OATH (S. Galloway) was disappointed for a run between FRAGAR (D. Griffin), which shifted out, and BLOOMIN TIPSY, which shifted in. This resulted in S. Galloway, rider of MY KING OATH, having to stop riding and shift out around the heels of BLOOMIN TIPS in order to secure clear running approaching the 200m.

D. Griffin reported that FRAGAR overraced when positioned behind the lead in the middle stages and then commenced to hang out rounding the turn. He stated that he recommended to connections to perhaps experiment with a Norton bit.

Stewards afforded K. Gates the opportunity to comment on the performance of BLOOMIN TIPSY. Apprentice Gates stated that the gelding overraced in the early stages and, in her opinion, was not comfortable racing on the synthetic surface.


























STEWARDS RACE DAY SUMMARY

Summary of action concerning licensees

Reprimands
Race 5. Kevin Hancock – Trainer – Late rider – LR67*

Absent jockeys
T. Bell – Transport difficulties*

Summary of action concerning thoroughbred horses

Horses swabbed post-race
All winners, Popular Belief, Le Bonx Chonx, Open Heart, Spur Point, Lancet, Love That Chick


Warnings/bars
Race 3. Drag Queen – Lame near foreleg – Vet. cert. – AR8(t)
Race 6. Flying Indy – Slow to begin/jumped awkwardly - Warning


Adjourned inquiry
Race 4. Jockey M. Gray’s whip use in the straight on Star Eclipse


Summary of rider changes/Late notifications

Race 3. Ballet Star – M. Hellyer
Race 5. Emplus – R. McMahon
Kassmer – R. Hancock
Race 6. Oscarmania – P.Hammersley



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