DOOM SEPT 26 - ZAHAS PRIDE SCORES STRONG FIRST-UP WIN

By Gaham Potter | Monday, September 28, 2009

Doomben, September 26, 2009.
Track - Good 3. Rail - out 3.5m.
Class 6 Handicap - 1200m. Time: 1-10.01.
1 Zahas Pride; 2 Aquaterra; 3 Blue Jupiter.

The Michael Nolan trained Zahas Pride returned to racing after a five month spell and his nine rivals would have preferred it if he had stayed at home.

The four-year-old chestnut showed superb gate-speed to quickly track across from his wide barrier to settle just outside the speedy Hezashow, who had speared into an early lead. These two runners took the field along at a useful gallop to the turn. On straightening, jockey Larry Cassidy pushed Zahas Pride up alongside Hezashow and, although the latter did fight on bravely enough, Zahas Pride asserted his authority to edge clear at the 180m mark. He then kicked on stoutly from there to hold off a wall of horses disputing the minor placings to score by a clear-cut 1.30 length margin.

It was a really solid first-up win and the fact that the lightly raced four-year-old can do it at both ends augers well for future success.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Michael Nolan: “We thought we were a bit vulnerable today, especially with the speed in the race with Hezashow. We went to 1200m first-up today and, you know, that sometimes is not ideal.
He sat outside him (Hezashow) and they weren’t walking. They were going along and there was pressure even when he got to the front. He just keeps going finding this horse. He’ll win something good along the way.

“We had him going well at the start of the Carnival. We were going to nominate him for the Guineas and those sort of races. The he galloped up in Toowoomba one morning and he struck the back of his fetlock. Even though it wasn’t serious he had to go out for two months ... and that’s the break he had before returning today.

“We gave him two trials because we knew we’d have to go to 1200m. In saying that, there is still a bit left in him. He hasn’t cleaned up in the coat, so we still thinking that he’s got a bit up his sleeve and he might measure up to a better race. A goal will probably be the mile races through the summer here ... and then we’ll get him ready for the Magic Millions Carnival because he is paid up for that. We are only going to take things one step at a time, but I’ve always said, he is just a good horse.”

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
J. Bayliss the trainer of Hesashow, which proved difficult to load, was advised stewards would take action against the gelding if it exhibited similar manners in future.

A post race veterinary examination of Judge Me Not revealed the gelding was suffering from cardiac arrhythmia. Trainer A. Bailey will be advised that Judge Me Not would be required to trial to the satisfaction of stewards and he would be required to produce a veterinary certificate including the results of an ECG before racing again.