EF OCT 17 - OPPORTUNISTIC UNDERLINES HIS POTENTIAL

By Graham Potter | Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Eagle Farm, October 17, 2009.
Track - Good 2. Rail - out 3m.
3yo Handicap - 1200m. Time: 1-10.76.
1 Opportunistic; 2 Unica Bahaya; 3 Moama.

The strength of the Alan Bailey stable remains an imposing factor on the results of meetings in SE Queensland. Bailey runners contested three races on the Eagle Farm card and the trainer went home with three winners as Opportunistic rounded off the clean sweep in style after De Lago Bloom and Cornwall Park had set up the hat trick with their successes earlier in the day. Stable jockey Glen Colless was on all three of the Bailey trained winners.

Opportunistic was chased up to race in sixth then fifth position in the early part. The gelding then improved up to fourth placing to swing three wide into the home straight just two lengths off the front-running Moama. At that stage Unica Bahaya was just worst than midfield with a line of runners blocking her path to the line.

As Moama kicked for home, Opportunistic quickened up nicely to move into contention while Unica Bahaya switched out around heels to give herself a clear shot at the target.

By the 180m mark Opportunistic was alongside Moama who wasn’t prepared to give anything away easily. By the 120m Opportunistic had edged into the lead. He had taken the measure of Moama and he also had the firepower to see off the spirited late charge of Unica Bahaya who had to settle for a second placing that was full of merit.

Moama too put in an eye-catching effort in only her third start (and her first in town) while Emma’s Heart, who finished out very wide on the track after coming from third last on the bend, could also be one for the notebook. This could translate into a very strong form race.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Alan Bailey: “He was a bit closer in the run today. When he got the good run in the race, it made all the difference. When he popped into that nice spot, I knew he was always going to be hard to beat.

"I thought he would be further back than he was. Glen (Colless) put a set of spurs on today to wake him up a bit. He got him going good. Once he got into the box seat he was always going to be hard to beat from there.

“It’s only his third start in a race. The first time he pulled up very sore. We put him out ... so he’s only really had the two starts that count, you know. He’s won them both.

Long-term, I think he will be an ideal Guineas sort of horse. He’ll get a mile without any problems. He might even get a little further because he is a relaxed sort of horse. He doesn’t get stirred up. He’s always given us the indication he will run a lot further.”

Jockey Glen Colless: “Yeah, the plan was to be a bit aggressive out of the gates today. He had a good gate today and I was just going to try to ride him a bit closer. Alan (Bailey) told me to get the spurs on.

“I think he is a better horse left alone, but that type of race today we just had to make him race a touch. He came out of the gates and sort of half didn’t want to hold a spot but, once he’d gone a furlong, he just sort of tracked up nice behind them.

“When the run came for him he got through it all right, but then he half waited for them again. He is just a big boy learning. When that horse came at him he really knuckled down. It was that horse coming at him that set him off again. I think he is that type of horse, you know.

“Yeah, I’m really lucky being able to ride for Alan aren’t I? There are a lot of jockeys in Queensland that would like to be riding for him. He is so easy to ride for. He just lets you do your own thing. No, he’s been a great supporter of mine over a lot of years.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Opportunistic): 3.80 in to 3.70 out to 3.80.
The winner was the favourite.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Purettan was declared a late scratching on veterinary advice at 4.40 pm after the gelding was found to have sustained lacerations to the off-fore fetlock and off- knee in its race day stall.

At a point near the 1100m, Brujita (C. McIver) had to be steadied when tightened for room by What Happenedhenry (J. Byrne), which shifted in after initially being taken in by Motown Lady (P. Hammersley). J. Byrne, rider of What Happenedhenry, was reprimanded for failing to make sufficient effort to prevent his mount from shifting in at that stage.

Glacial Miss (L. Cassidy) over-raced in the early and middle stages of the race. Near the 800m, Brujita (C. McIver) had to be steadied when tightened for room between Glacial Miss (L. Cassidy) and Unica Bahaya (C. Reith), which shifted in momentarily. C. Reith, ride of Unica Bahaya, was advised to exercise more care in similar circumstances. For some distance passing the 800m, What Happenedhenry commenced to race ungenerously and shifted out, resulting in Motown Lady (P. Hammersley) being hampered and taken wider on the track.

Near the 700m, Patapinda (M. Hellyer), which was over-racing, shifted out and brushed What Happenedhenry. Passing the 600m, Unica Bahaya (C. Reith) shifted out and bumped Motown Lady.

Emma’s Heart (A. Spinks) shifted out under pressure over the final 300m. For some distance approaching and passing the 200m, Warrego (J. Taylor) was placed awkwardly at the heels of Ourkohinoor. Leaving the 200m, Warrego (J. Taylor) had to be checked between Ourkohninoor (B. El-Issa), which shifted in when tiring, and Glacial Miss, which shifted out off the heels of Headhunter (D. Browne), which shifted out when tiring considerably. Andy Said raced four wide without cover throughout the race.

Ourkohninoor (B. El-Issa) raced three wide without cover for the majority of the event until weakening in the home straight. Unica Bahaya lost its off-fore plate in running.

Stewards sought an explanation from P. Hammersley for the disappointing performance of Motown Lady. P. Hammersley stated that on face value the run may have appeared disappointing, however in consideration of the fact that the horse travelled wide and carried a big weight, he was not completely dissatisfied with the filly's run. He further added that the horse's saddle had shifted back on Motown Lady and felt this may have had an effect on the horse striding out. A post race veterinary examination of Motown Lady failed to reveal any significant abnormalities.

Stewards also sought an explanation from A. Bailey in regards to Opportunistic racing handier than at its most recent start. Mr Bailey explained that prior to the event a runner that was placed in his care, Purettan, had become fractious in its race day stall and after tending to that horse had failed to advise stewards of his intention to have the horse ridden more positively from the barriers. In the circumstances, stewards fined Mr Bailey the sum of $200 under the provisions of AR135A.

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