SCST SEPT 13 - WHIMPY BACK IN WINNING FORM

By Graham Potter | Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Sunshine Coast, September 13, 2009.
Track - Good 3. Rail - Out 2m.
Class 3 Handicap - 1200m. Time: 1-11.52.
1 Whimpy; 2 Sweet Sassi; 3 Ice Delight.

The Glen Clunes trained Whimpy scored a measured win in his second run back from an eight month, injury-enforced layoff. The lightly raced five-year-old, who showed more-than-useful potential in his previous prep, has now won four of his eight starts.

Apprentice jockey Michael Hellyer had to make some use of the grey early to slide across into second place from an outside draw. The gelding comfortably held his position until the turn. In the straight, Hellyer asked Whimpy to gradually increase the tempo to go after the leader Clearly Vain and, in a finely measured run, Whimpy hit the lead with just enough left in the tank to hold off the challenges of Sweet Sassi, who had been held up in the straight, and Ice Delight who both finished within half-a-length of the winner at the line.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Glenn Clunes: “When he ran fourth (in December 2008), he twisted his knee and I had to give him time off. Since he hurt his knee he is not the horse he was. He looked like being outstanding - a Group horse. If he wins his next start I’ll take him to Melbourne for the “Greys” race.”

Apprentice jockey Michael Hellyer: “Look, he had everything in his favour today. I was going to go back on him because he blundered at the start, but I looked and saw that nobody was going forward so I took the advantage and just got a real easy run on the outside.

“I was told that he’s had problems with his knees, so I just sort of let him go through his gears down the straight. I didn’t rush him. Probably the last 100m his run ended and he just fell in, but he’ll take a lot from that race anyway.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Kaptaroa was examined by the club's veterinary surgeon at the barriers and cleared to race. Sweet Sassi (S. Katsidis) had difficulty obtaining clear running to the inside of Clearly Vein (H. Hamada) from leaving the 400m until near the 200m where it had to be steadied and shift out to obtain clear running. Both Aulani (J. Taylor) and Tycoon Ken (L. Cheshire) raced wide for the majority of the event. A post-race veterinary examination of Aulani which compounded in the home straight, failed to reveal any significant abnormalities.