DOOM NOV 06 - PENNY LOUISE DICTATES EVENTS TO HER ADVANTAGE

By Graham Potter | Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Doomben, November 6, 2010.
Track - Dead 5. Rail - out 4.5m. Penetrometer: 5.3.
1MW Handicap - 1630m.
Time: 1-39.01. (carrying 53kg). Last 600m: 34.60.
1 Penny Louise; 2 Yamarjie; 3 Eddie Rapido.
Margins: 1.00; 1.25.

There were plenty of triers here … but no stars … and this race was there for the taking by anyone bold enough to take the initiative and back it with a bit of solid endeavour.

Chris Munce, the rider of Penny Louise, put his hand up for that role. The rider didn’t rush the Richie Stephenson trained runner out of the gates, but he allowed the five-year-old enough rein to ensure that she got to the lead by the time the field straightened for the run down the back straight.

Penny Louise’s market rival Ashma’s Gold (these two runners started equal favourite at $3.80) let Penny Louise go and took the trail in third, sitting just inside the second placed Khataaf.

Penny Louise thus enjoyed an untroubled lead (by one and a half lengths) down the back and all through the sweep to the home turn.

On straightening for the run home Penny Louise was asked to get down to business by Munce and the mare kicked on cue and, suddenly, they were all struggling behind her.

Ashma’s Gold flattered briefly, but then only whacked away and was beaten out of the placings.

It was left to the ever-game, lightly framed Yarmarjie to come out of the pack to chase the winner home.

As spirited as Yarmarjie’s effort was, it was too little too late as Munce guided Penny Louise safely to the line to complete the mare’s fifth career success.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Richie Stephenson: “There was no pace in the race. That sort of had us a bit concerned. We couldn’t find any speed, so I said to Chris (Munce), can you find any speed?

“He said , no … what do you want me to do? I said, start it first and finish it first!

“So Chris sort of knew what he was doing. These sort of races can bring you undone when there is no speed on.

“I think he will run a mile-and-a-quarter, running a different type of race … in a nicely run race. I think so. She is bred to do it. I think she’d do it.

“It does open up our options if she can. Especially at this time of year. This is the time of the year when the races are ordinary ones.”

Jockey Chris Munce: “The speed was a little bit of a contentious issue before the race. I don’t think Richie (Stephenson) was really wanting to lead, but I suggested there wasn’t much speed in the race.

“In the end he came around to my way of thinking.

“That’s the good thing about riding for the good trainers … they can be flexible and leave it up to us.

“She relaxed very well today. She never got softened up for the first part of the race which was probably a benefit.

“From the 500 on … I think she had them beat. She really kicked well.

“If Richie’s talking about taking the horse ever more ground. I wouldn’t talk him out of it. I think 1800 … 2000m, I wouldn’t have a problem with that. I think she’d cope with it quite well.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Penny Louise): 3.50 out to 3.80. Equal favourite.
Equal favourite (Ashma’s Gold): 3.80 steady. Finished sixth.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Shortly after the start Naniwa (B. Looker) shifted out resulting in Bann Ruby (J. Wood) being taken out on to the hind quarters of Penny Louise (C. Munce).

Eddie Rapido (E. Kehoe) was slow to begin.

Khataaf (G. Colless) raced wide in the early stages before being ridden forward to a position outside the leader near the 1100m.

Inside the 100m Eddie Rapido had to shift to the inside of the heels of Ashma's Gold (J. Holder) in order to improve.

A post-race veterinary examination of Kinsmate (P. Wolfgram), which raced wide throughout and weakened over the final 300m, revealed the gelding to lame in the off-hind leg.

Trainer N. Petersen will be advised that he must produce a veterinary certificate of fitness for Kinsmate prior to its next race start.

Stewards sought an explanation from J. Holder regarding the performance of Ashma's Gold.

J. Holder explained that the mare travelled well in the early and middle stages behind the leaders, however when placed under pressure did not quicken as expected and in his opinion may have been feeling the effects of its third start in as many weeks.

J. Holder added that Ashma's Gold may now be better suited over a longer distance than today's race.

A post-race veterinary examination failed to reveal any abnormalities.

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