EF FEB 03 - WHITE PHOSPHORUS EQUAL TO THE TASK

By Graham Potter | Friday, February 5, 2010

Eagle Farm, February 3, 2010.
Track - Dead 4. Rail - out 7.5m.
Class 4 Handicap (C, G & E) - 1500m. Time: 1-30.34. (Carrying 53kg).
1 White Phosphorus; 2 American Gangster; 3 Masked Avenger.

The five-year-old gelding White Phosphorus scored a spirited win in his second start for trainer Lawrie-Mayfield-Smith.

Jockey Jim Byrne settled the gelding in third place early, just behind Swords, at a comfortable gallop. Up front American Gangster pulled himself along at a brisk pace and he led the field by a good five lengths at one stage, but he started to come back to his field approaching the home turn.

Byrne was the first to make a move of consequence. He pushed White Phosphorus past Swords and, with American Gangster marking time and White Phosphorus’s picking up the tempo, these two runners joined issue on straightening.

It was reasonable to think that White Phosphorus would now storm past American Gangster, but the latter was not done for yet. He kicked back when challenged by White Phosphorus and, even when White Phorsphorus got to the front with 250m left to run, American Gangster simply would not go away.

While Byrne had his hands full keeping American Gangster at bay, Masked Avenger, Dreaming Cash and Just A Classic were all closing up strongly from behind and it came down to a pressured finish in which White Phosphorus was tested all the way to the line.

He proved equal to the task to prevail by a short-neck margin from the ever game American Gangster as only 0,70 lengths covered the first five runners across the line.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Lawrie-Mayfield-Smith. “He alright. He should get better as he goes along. He probably raced a bit handier than we wanted.

“He was a bit unlucky at the coast the other day. My jockey was overweight. He is not really a kids horse. I ended up with an apprentice. Nothing against her, but he missed the start and got a long way back and then got held up, but then got home pretty strong. So, no that was a very good run, but he probably needs a senior jockey.

“He stepped up in distance and class here (from Class 2 to Class 4 and from 1300m to 1500m) and did it well. There should be more wins in him.”

Jockey Jim Byrne: “Look, his first-up run was sort of one of those races where you say, ah forget it.

“Today there wasn’t much tempo in the race ... well on paper there wasn’t much tempo. So I rode him to be a little bit closer than he would be normally. Ridden a bit quieter he should get a strong mile.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (White Phosphorus): 2.80 out to 3.00.
Favourite (Dreaming Cash): 1.85 steady.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Masked Avenger (M. Palmer) and Just A Classic (N. Tomizawa) were a little slow to begin.

After leaving the 1200m, American Gangster (J. Taylor) commenced to pull hard and the gelding continued to pull hard in the middle stages.

Swords (G. Colless), which compounded in the straight, was examined by the club's veterinary surgeon and found to be lame in the near-foreleg. Trainer R. Heathcote was advised that he must provide a veterinary clearance for the gelding before being permitted to race again.

When questioned regarding the performance of Dreaming Cash, L. Rolls stated that the gelding travelled well throughout the race, however was inclined to lay out and made the home turn awkwardly.

M. Hellyer, rider of Naniwa, pleaded guilty to a charge under AR137A(5)(a)(ii) in that he used his whip more than five times prior to the 100m. M. Hellyer was fined $300.

M. Hellyer also pleaded guilty to a charge under AR137A(5)(a)(i) in that he used his whip in consecutive strides on two occasions prior to the 100m. M. Hellyer was fined $200.