EF JULY 25 - IT IS A BOILOVER … AS FLINDERS COMMAND ASSERTS HER AUTHORITY AT BIG ODDS

By Graham Potter | Thursday, July 26, 2012

Eagle Farm, July 25, 2012.
Track - Slow 6; Rail - out 10m.
Class 4 Handicap (Fillies & Mares) - 1200m.
Flinders Command; 2 Tabassi; 3 Our Hussey; 4 Bellantina.
Time: 1-12.47. Last 600: 35.38.
Margins: 0.20; 0.20.

She might have been the second longest priced runner in the twelve-strong lineup, but the Michael Lakey trained Flinders Command ($26) was having one of those days where the plan went to script allowing the three-year-old to produce her best and, in so doing, claim the second win of her career.

The daughter of Commands set the early target and was in prime position as the field turned for home, but there were several runners waiting to pounce as the runners quickened approaching the business end of affairs.

With the pressure on, for a moment, it appeared that Flinders Command was in trouble but, under the determined urgings of rider Tegan Harrison, the filly responded in kind and dug in with resolute commitment to fight on strongly to the line to keep a wall of challengers at bay.

This win provided apprentice Tegan Harrison with the first leg of her first city treble.

Flinders Command is a three-year-old bay filly.
She is owned by T J Connolly and Mrs C F Connolly.
She was bred by Wallings Pastoral Co Pty Ltd
This was Flinders Command’s second career win from thirteen career starts.
This win took her stake earnings to $19450

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Michael Lakey: “I did say to Tegan (Harrison) … I did say that if she gets an easy lead, she could win on what she has shown in work. Tegan said to me, ‘I’d like a dollar for every time a trainer that tells me that.’

“When she won at Doomben previously she had the easy lead and the way she works at home … you know if you go a 1000 evens and just let her run down the run-in … she’ll win anything on her work the way she finishes off.

“She’s a tiny little thing and probably has to have all the favours. She’s been unlucky a few times. She’s had to race three deep which doesn't help her, but when she does get things her own way … like a happy, easy lead, she can show you what she is capable of doing. Then she’s got a good, strong kick.”

Jockey Tegan Harrison: “Yeah, I did say I’d like a dollar for every time a trainer tells me a horse can win on its work, but it backfired on me this time. Michael (Lakey) was right.

“I wasn’t always confident though, because he was headed in the straight and it looked like she was only going to just battle on for a place, but she really dug deep and found a bit more when it had to find … and got there!

“So that was a big result after it had only looked like it was going to run a place midway up the straight.”

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Caressable One (C. Munce) and Sky Effort (M. Vance) were slow to begin.

Unrefuseable (A. Spinks) got its head up and over-raced in the early stages. Unrefuseable then raced wide for majority of the race.

Leaving the 400m. Switmoa (R. Wiggins) shifted out to improve and in doing so made contact with Sky Effort.

Tabassi (G. Colless) faltered leaving the 300m.

Tabassi was held up for clear running rounding the home turn and until leaving the 200m, when shifting out around the heels of Flinders Command (T. Harrison), Tabassi made heavy contact with Roman Match (J. Byrne), causing J. Byrne, rider of Roman Match, to become unbalanced for a short distance. G. Colless, rider of Tabassi, was reprimanded for the manner in which he shifted ground at that point.

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