The final
race meeting of the season and there was something for everyone from
jumps to the unique Lightning Stakes where 2yos take on the 3yos at
stakes level. It was also a day that showed how stringently horses are
checked from the moment they set foot on the track, at the barrier and
then after the race with one horse a late scratching after arriving in
the stalls area while Young Tearaway was scratched at the barrier in the
Hurdle after blood was found coming from one nostril after the warm up
while several others were inspected after they had raced below
expectations.
In the
Hurdle Dumosa and Shejtan led early from Take Out with Viking Tiger
along the rails with Mephistopheles between them. Turning into the
straight for the first time Viking Tiger took the lead as Dumoas was
restrained with Mephistopheles outwide on the track aroud Shejtan and
Target Explorer then Take Out and Sir Presidente with Thmas at the
back. Viking Tiger put in some big leaps over the jumps in the straight
to go to a clear lead past the post the first time from Dumosa and
Target Explorer then Shejtan and Mephistopheles. Over the jump at the
1200m Viking Tiger was still well clear from Dumosa then Target Explorer
as Take Out and Shejtan made ground. After making a couple of untidy
jumps Viking Tiger started to slowly some back to the field where Dumosa
quickly joined him on the outside with Shejtan and Take Out in close
pursuit. Dumosa soon took control and raced well clear from Viking
Tiger over the second last with Shejtan stil running on. Over the last
and Dumosa put in a 'cat leap' but still cleared the fence with ease and
raced away to the line to win from Shejtan who put in a nice leap at the
last to run on to take a clear second in his debut over the jumps with
Viking Tiger although starting to tire fighting on well for third ahead
of Take Out. Dumosa has now had 2
starts for 2 wins and 2 seconds over the jumps and is from the Oakbank
stable of Barry Brook while Shejtan is from the Murray Bridge stable of
G Lynch.
Mephistopheles was retired from the race around the home turn
and his retirement has been announced. Mephistopheles started his
career as a 3yo in country Victoria with in different form. As a spring
4yo he moved to South Australia where he was third at Mindari-Halidon
before a third at Gawler over 1950m. Interestingly to note from
this race the first two placegetters were Silver Elegant who in recent
times won the Thoroughbred Hack class at the Adelaide Royal Show and
Kenwick who went onto a jumps career and has now also moved on to a
second career as an equestrian horse. He later won at Bordertown and
was placed at Morphettville and Cheltenham. As a late 5yo he started
his career over the jumps and was third in the South Australian Grand
National Hurdle at only his second jumps start. A win on the flat at
Gawler followed before winning a Hurdle at Morphettville at the end of
the winter season. The next jumps season he won on the flat at Murray
Bridge before winnning the Hurdle at Oakbank in March defeating McCloud
(another to go on to an equestrian career) before being sent over the
bigger obstacles and running 4th in the Von Doussa Steeplechase before
running second in the Great Eastern Steeplechase.
Mephistopheles
missed the rest of the jumps season and returned as a late 7yo where he
2nd in a Hurdle at Morphettville before returning to Oakbank and running
third in the Great Eastern Steeplechase. Winning a steeple trial before
being luckless at the Warrnambool carnival he only had a handful of
races and trials (incl a second at Morphettville) before a long break.
Resuming his career early this jumping season he had several trials
before running 4th in a steeplechase at Mt Gambier and this month had a
run on the flat before winning a steepelchase trial at Morphettville as
a lead up to this race. He retires with a record of 54 starts 5 wins
and 12 placings with a jumps record of 18 starts 2 wins and 4 placings.
Race
two was for the 2yos
and it was the first starter Hill Spy (by O'Reilly) who as too good
defeating Exodus with Cash is Coming third. Hill Spy is from the
Victorian stable of R Smerdon and was ridden by M Walker. Pocket
Rockets repeated the previous weeks effort on the inner track in wining
the next race from Barigan Boy with Dee Bee Nine third taking his record
to 28 starts for 7 wins and 5 placings.
In the distance race of the
day Bojani was too good racing well clear inthe final stages to win from
You're Discreet with Border Express third while in the next Desert
Jeuney continued to show promise in making it 2 wins from 4 starts
defeating Charmed Harmony with Abdaan third. Desert Jeuney was the
start of a three race streak for Victorians on the day. In the
next race the Nigel Blackiston stable made it two in a row with
Half His Luck too good for Halayr Jet with Mumbeilly third.
In the Lightning Stakes the
short priced favourite was Thermal Current from the Victorian stable of
Peter Moody while Splash of Moet and Words are Weapons were considered
the best of the locals. Raise a Dream was one of the fastest
out but soon it was Thiamandi narrowly in front of Prettyhappyaboutit
followed by Words are Weapons with Thermal Current and Splash of Moet
well back. Around the turn Thiamandi led Prettythappyaboutit from
Heart of a Lion with Thermal Current starting a run out wider. By
the 200m Prettyhappyaboutit took over from Thiamandi with Thermal
Current running on from Heart of a Lion then Crabbing making ground on
the inside. In the run to the line Prettyhappyaboutit defied all
attempts to run her down winning from Thermal Current with Heart of a
Lion third. Prettyhappyaboutit had been in good Melbourne form
without breaking through and takes her record to 8 starts for 3 wins and
4 placings. By Magnus she is from the Victorian stable of R
Griffiths.
In
the last race Avoca Street got tightened and lost rider S Westover
coming into the turn but both horse and rider were ok as the Richard
Jolly trained Schaduw went on to win from Sandhill Jett and Debeersonus.
With the upcoming feature jumps races its
likely that the protestors (who seem to come in from Melbourne - no
protestors have been noticed during the winter season so far) may return
to Morphettville in August. If they do it has been suggested that
if they cause any issues with the loudhailer etc please just walk
straight on by and report what happened to the nearest security guard or
police (I know loud noise can hurt the ears but best to refrain from any
action in anger). Also its been suggested that if you find their
signs/banners offensive please contact the raceclub and make this known.
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