RACING QUEENSLAND

STEWARDS REPORT


TOOWOOMBA TURF CLUB – SATURDAY 13 DECEMBER 2014

WEATHER – OVERCAST TRACK RATING – GOOD 4 RAIL – 2M

OFFICIALS

Chairman of Stewards – R. Hitchener
Stewards – J. Childs, A. Preston, T. Reed
Betting Steward – R. Waterman
Clerk of Scales – Club
Judge – Club
Veterinarian – P. McAuliffe
Swab attendants – A. Jones, R. Burchmann
Starter – P. Brennan
Jockeys Advocate – D. Tanti
Stewards Secretary – W. Ostrofski

Race 1: PACIFIC SEEDS QTIS 3YO CLASS 1 H'CAP – 1100M

MISHANI VIKING – Tightened for room at the start and lost ground.

BALKAN BAMBINO - Fractious in the barriers. A warning was placed on the gelding’s barrier manners. When questioned as to the disappointing performance, jockey D. Missen advised that after beginning well he attempted to obtain a forward position as per its customary racing pattern, however the gelding failed to show the speed that he anticipated and consequently settled in a midfield position. He added that the gelding never travelled strongly on the bit throughout the event and proved disappointing in the home straight.

BIMBIARRA – Fractious in the barriers. A warning was placed on the gelding’s barrier manners. Jockey S. Bogenhuber, on returning to scale, could offer no explanation for the gelding’s disappointing performance. A post-race veterinary examination revealed no significant findings. Trainer L. Hatch undertook to advise Stewards regarding the horse’s post-race recovery.

ISN’T HE A BEAUTY – Raced wide throughout.

LUPO NERO – Laid out rounding the home turn.

DUREEZA – Raced wide until a point near the 600m.

AMERICAN SPIRIT – Threw its head in the air whilst being restrained leaving the 900m.


Race 2: PLATINUM INTERNATIONAL CLASS 3 H'CAP – 1100M

Stewards accepted the explanation tendered by trainer B. Currie for the late declaration of F. Elliott as the rider of GREAT TOUCH.

The start of this race was delayed owing to TAILWIND being fractious in the barriers.

MODERN WARFARE – Raced wide for the majority of the event.

NADHIMA – Rider dropped his whip in the home straight. A post-race veterinary examination revealed swelling in the off fore fetlock. Trainer B. Currie was advised that he will be required to produce a veterinary clearance for the mare prior to its next start.

TAILWIND – Reared high in the barriers and got its off foreleg over the partition, examined by the veterinary surgeon and cleared to start.

TANGARA – Hung out during the middle stages of the event.

PUFF’S GIRL – Tightened for room at the start.

GREAT TOUCH – Bumped with another runner shortly after the start. Raced wide for the majority of the event.

SUEMORI – Connections advised that from the wide barrier it will be the intention to have the horse ridden in the second half of the field. The horse was ridden accordingly. Steadied to avoid the heels of a tiring runner near the 400m.

VICTORY NILE – Bumped with another runner shortly after the start.

ROCKING EMPIRE – Had to be steadied when momentarily tightened for room near the 850m.

JUST A ROCKSTAR – Forced to steady to avoid the heels of another runner near the 900m.

Race 3: STRATHAYR CLASS 1 H'CAP – 1200M

MR ALFRANCO – Jumped away awkwardly and lost ground. Held up from the 500m to the 400m. Laid in under pressure in the home straight.

MONSIEUR HUGHES – Bumped another runner on jumping away. Apprentice E. Ljung reported to Stewards that she was instructed to attempt to lead on the horse today as it had performed well when ridden in this fashion at its previous start. She added that for this reason she rode her mount vigorously in the early stages of the event in an endeavour to comply with the instructions, however when the horses drawn directly to her inside showed similar pace, this resulted in her being caught three wide for the duration of the event. Apprentice Ljung further added that near the 900m she attempted to obtain a position one off the fence behind SWEET AND SAVAGE, however as her mount was racing strongly at that point of the race, she was unable to restrain to the necessary degree to obtain this position. When questioned as to whether there was an opportunity to obtain a trailing position behind RAZZLING DAZZLER one off the fence in the early stages, apprentice Ljung advised that she was reluctant to obtain this position, bearing in mind her instructions as it would have resulted in her settling in the second half of the field. Stewards noted the explanation.

BODNANT – Raced wide throughout.

STARLIGHT BELLE – Bumped another runner on jumping away.

HIDDEN EDITION – When being loaded into the barriers, the offside pacifier and blinker cup became detached and were unable to be refitted, resulting in the filly not racing with this gear on the offside.

COURT COUTURE – Raced wide throughout.

Race 4: VANDERFIELD MAIDEN PLATE – 1100M

As ambulance personnel were attending to an injured patron and a replacement ambulance had to be provided, the start of races 4 and 5 were rescheduled to 7.33 pm and 7.55 pm respectively.

BULLDOG’S PRIDE – Jumped away awkwardly, losing ground.

ELIZONDO – V. Venkaya pleaded guilty to a charge of careless riding under AR. 137(a) in that he permitted his mount to shift in near the 150m, resulting in OPTIONAL GIRL being restrained to avoid heels, and that he continued to allow his mount to shift in, dictating MISS ALEXANDRA inwards near the 150m and having to be restrained to avoid heels near the 100m. Jockey Venkaya’s licence to ride in races was suspended for a period of 8 meetings, with the term of suspension to commence at midnight on Saturday 13 December and expire at midnight on Saturday 27 December 2014.

MAGIC DRAGON – Held up badly and unable to improve from the 350m until inside the 100m.

MISS ALEXANDRA – Steadied off heels near the 500m. Dictated inwards near the 150m, had to be restrained to avoid heels near the 100m.

OPTIONAL GIRL – Improved on to heels near the 750m and had to be steadied. Had to be restrained to avoid heels near the 150m.

WEE DRAGON – Steadied off heels near the 700m.

Race 5: AUDI CENTRE TOOWOOMBA BM75 H'CAP – 1625M

Stewards accepted the explanation tendered by trainer W. Nugent for the late declaration of R. Goltz as the rider of CHASING THE DRAGON.

UNDER THE LEANER – Hung out rounding the home turn.

PUTAPAVONIT – On return to scale K. Yoshida advised that the horse was slow into stride and never travelled strongly on the bit throughout the event despite his urging. He added that once rounding the home turn and into the home straight the mare commenced to make strong ground and finished the race off well and based on this he advised trainer N. Hilton that in his opinion PUTAPAVONIT would be better suited in races of greater distance than tonight’s event at this stage of its preparation.

CHASING THE DRAGON – Threw its head in the air for a short distance when the pace of the race steadied near the 1100m.

HANDFUL OF SILVER – Threw its head in the air for a short distance when the pace of the race steadied near the 1100m. Rider dropped his whip at the 100m.

TISANI STAR – Raced wide for the majority of the event.

Race 6: NEIL MANSELL CONCRETE CLASS 1 H'CAP – 1625M

LIDO – As B. Evans was to be overweight, S. Bogenhuber was substituted as the rider of this runner. B. Evans was fined $100. Bumped on jumping away, and shortly after was tightened for room and lost ground. Laid in leaving the 200m and had to be steadied away from heels.

THOMAS THE WELSH – Bumped on jumping away, resulting in G. Goold losing the use of his nearside stirrup before he was able to regain it near the 1000m, which placed him at a disadvantage in the early stages of the event.

Race 7: DAWN OSBORNE FLORIST RATINGS BAND 0-65 H'CAP – 2150M

KURRAJONG DRAGON – Jumped in the air at the start. Bled from both nostrils. Ineligible to race for 3 months and before starting again must gallop satisfactorily over 1000m in the presence of a steward.

WARP NINE – Severely tightened for room approaching the 2000m, blundered, almost dislodging the rider and then shifted in making heavy contact with the running rail. At a subsequent inquiry it was established that WARP NINE was tightened for room when racing to the inside of SUPERCOACH, which shifted in after initially being taken in by BELLESPY, which itself was taken in slightly by HIP TO BE SQUARE. As Stewards were unable to attribute blame to any one rider as there were a number of contributing factors involved, they deemed the incident to be a racing incident and took no direct action.

A LADYS COMPLIMENT – A post-race veterinary examination revealed the mare had sustained a slight laceration to the near hind fetlock.

KESTHIN – Made heavy contact with another runner near the 2000m and again near the 700m. Laid out under pressure in the home straight.

JUDGE RUBY – Made heavy contact with another runner near the 700m. Tightened near the 500m and lost ground.

BELLESPY – Forced wider by another runner approaching the 800m and raced three wide for the remainder of the event.


STEWARDS RACE DAY SUMMARY

Summary of action concerning licensees

Fines
Race 6. B. Evans - $100 – overweight, replaced 1 ride – AR. 120(b)

Suspensions
Race 4. V. Venkaya – careless riding – 8 mtgs (13.12.14 – 27.12.14) – AR. 137(a)

Summary of action concerning thoroughbred horses

Horses swabbed

All winners, 2nd placegetters Races 1, 2, 6 and 7, Bimbiarra, Blue Jest, Suits Us, Never Ignore

Bleeders
Race 7. KURRAJONG DRAGON – bled both nostrils – ineligible to race for 3 months, 1000m gallop – AR. 53A

Warnings/bars
Race 1. BALKAN BAMBINO – fractious in the barriers – warning.
Race 1. BIMBIARRA – fractious in the barriers – warning
Race 2. NADHIMA – Swelling off fore fetlock – veterinary clearance – AR. 8(t)

Summary of rider changes/Late notifications
Race 2. GREAT TOUCH – F. Elliott, VICTORIA NILE – N. Evans, JUST A ROCKSTAR – M. O’Brien
Race 5. CHASING THE DRAGON – R. Goltz
Race 6. LIDO – S. Bogenhuber

Late scratchings
Race 3. MAJOR BLOT – 3.55 pm – vet reasons