EF NOV 27 - AUDACIOUS SPIRIT UNDERLINES HIS POTENTIAL

By Graham Potter | Monday, November 29, 2010

Eagle Farm, November 27, 2010.
Track - Good. Rail - out 2.5m. Penetrometer - 5.
QTIS 3yo Handicap - 1200m.
Time: 1-10.06. Last 600m: 35.10.
1 Audacious Spirit; 2 Benny's Buttons; 3 Excellantes.
Margins: 0.75. Half-neck.

It takes a good horse to get jockey Dan Griffin to forsake his safer, multiple winning options at his regular base of the Gold Coast and to come to town in search of Metropolitan success.

That is what he did on Saturday and he went home with a big smile on his face courtesy of a strong, first-up winning performance from the Gillian Heinrich trained Audacious Spirit.

The son of Bel Esprit was kept honest all the way to the line by both Benny’s Buttons and Excellantes, who finished second and third respectively, but the winner always had the measure of those around him and he was clearly in charge at the line.

This was the first win for Audacious Spirit and it arrived in the first start of his second preparation.

While not a winner first time in, Audacious Spirit had already shown in his two month, four race first preparation that he was a more than useful sort and this result merely added further evidence to support that opinion.

A brief glance at Audacious Spirit’s previous results paints the picture.

The colt finished third, 1.40 lengths behind Spirit Of Boom on debut. He then immediately stepped up to Listed company when again finding Spirit of Boom too hot to handle in the Ken Russell Memorial. This time Audacious Spirit finished fourth, four lengths adrift of the action.

Two more Listed races followed in Audacious Spirit’s first campaign. Both resulted in minor place finishes as Audacious Spirit came back in second place, just 0.20 of a length behind Pellizotti, in the Dalrello Plate at Doomben and in third place, a length off Shamillion, in the Australia Post Stakes.

Audacious Spirit’s four starts had taken him from 1000m to 1400m and, although still learning his trade, he had shown enough to mark him down as one to follow.

Griffin certainly thought that was the case. He backed that judgement on Saturday and went home a winner.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Gillian Heinrich: “He goes enormous. I’m thinking he is one of my best, so I’m thinking let’s have a look today and see what he can do.

“He’s a lovely horse. He showed a lot of good ability last time in.

“I think he probably put the writing n the wall with his trial the other day. He’s works been good.

“He was still a maidener taking on strong opposition. With his form you can imagine what weight if he tried to win back at home and I thought he was up to this sort of thing. It was a good field.

“It was a great effort first-up over 1200. He can only improve on the run, so I am very happy with that.”

Jockey Daniel Griffin: “I ride him in work. About four times a week a ride him. I have a big opinion of him.

“I trialled him the other day and he was just exceptional, you know.

“When he jumped away the breast plate snapped and the saddle rolled around on me. I was going to take the sit behind Michael Cahill (on Devinardi) but, with all that going on, I just had to let him roll. I just had to balance up and get the saddle up again.

“He just relaxed underneath me and did what I wanted.

“Taken it all into account it was an even better win than it looked.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Audacious Spirit): 2.50 in to 2.40 out to 2.50.
The winner was the favourite.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Pegunny Cat (J. Taylor) and Gentle Giant (E. Wilkinson) were tightened for room at the start between Jopa (J. Bowditch) and Rapid Leica Dane (J. Byrne), which shifted out.

Benny's Buttons (G. Colless) and Excellanates (B. Stewart) made contact on jumping away.

Raise Up (C. McIver) jumped away awkwardly.

Near the 1000m, Pegunny Cat (J. Taylor) shifted in, taking Jopa (J. Bowditch) in on to Rapid Leica Dane, which had to be steadied when taken across the heels of Benny's Button's (G. Colless).

Pegunny Cat raced ungenerously at the heels of Raise Up during the middle stages.

Raise Up and Pegunny Cat raced wide throughout.

J. Byrne, rider Rapid Leica Dane, was reprimanded for failing to weigh in on 4th placegetter, Rapid Leica Dane.

A post race veterinary examination of Jopa revealed the presence of blood in one nostril only. Trainer J. Pritchard was advised that the gelding must gallop 1000 metres before a steward prior to its next race start.

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