DOOM MAR 13 - TRIPITZ BY A NOSE

By Graham Potter | Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Doomben, March 13, 2010.
Track - Slow 6. Rail - True.
1MW Handicap - 2100m. Time: 2-11.06. (Carry 56kg).
1 Tripitz; 2 Spechenka; 3 Bold Distinction.

The Mark Webb trained Tripitz gained his due reward for his continued consistent run of performances, but it was no ‘gimme’ as the five-year-old prevailed by a nose in a pressurised finish as he went to the line locked together with Bold Distinction and Spechenka, who joined in the fight late when flashing down the outside of the track.

Tripitz was conservatively ridden in the early part. He was initially taken back to last by apprentice jockey Michael Hellyer before settling second last, just outside Spechenka, some ten lengths off Whitemore Dynasty who took the fifteen-strong field down the back straight. At that stage Bold Distinction was racing in eighth spot, caught out wide.

The contest became more intense in the sweep to the turn.

On straightening, Whitemore Dynasty was still in the lead, but he was now being pressured by Crowning Force with Smuggler’s Inn and Telestah La Vistah poised just off the speed, ready to pounce. Bold Distinction had made a long run from the 750m to get up to fifth place, still four wide, and he cornered some three lengths off the lead.

A further three lengths behind that Tripitz was seven wide and with plenty of work to do. Hellyer had tried to improve his position on the turn, but his wide run had restricted his progress. Now at least he was in clear running with an uninterrupted run to the line beckoning him forward and Hellyer wasted little time in giving his mount more rein.

Spechenka had tracked Tripitz to the turn, but he was still three lengths adrift of the Webb trained runner (nearly ten lengths off the lead) when the field accelerated with meaning. You could be forgiven for thinking he was out of contention.

By the 150m the leaders had had enough and Smuggler’s Inn and Telestah La Vistah were too busy getting in each other’s way to be effective. As others floundered Bold Distinction pushed up towards the lead but it was then that Tripitz arrived with a flourish to race right past all opposition.

Tripitz looked set to accelerate away to an easy victory, but the race was far from over. Tripitz peaked on his run with 50m left to race and Bold Distinction fought back in the closing stages while Spechenka, who had taken a while to go through his gears, was finishing best of all with a sustained run on the outside.

The paths of these three runners came together in the final few strides where Tripitz just did enough to beat Spechenka by a nose with Bold Distinction only a further nose back in third place.

Tripitz is now a seven-time winner from forty-three starts.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Apprentice jockey Michael Hellyer: “Mark (Webb) said to me, you really need to time your run with this horse. He’s got a real short sprint.

“I actually thought I probably went a touch early on him. Like, they got to about the 900 and they really eased back and I thought, if I don’t get out the half mile ... they are going to just outsprint me and I thought, I’d better get rolling now.

“When I went for him he showed a very nice turn of foot. It was just that last 100m he whacked away, but when Jason (Taylor, riding Spechenka) came down the outside he actually found a bit more. He sort of likes the fight.

“About 50 out I thought, no Jason’s got me ... but then when I hit the line, my bloke fought back that little bit and I thought it was fifty-fifty. When I got back and saw my number I was very happy.”

“As far as the track is concerned, I was only three off the fence in the first race and I was out wide there. Out wide’s probably ... it’s got a better bias out there. It is a bit soft on the inside. I’d say it is a genuine slow, but it probably throughout the day it might upgrade with the breeze and the warm weather.”

PRICE FLUTUATIONS:
Winner (Tripitz): 6.00 out to 9.00.
Favourite (Teary Eyed): 4.00 out to 4.80. Finished twelfth.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
To avoid an unreasonable delay, Ivy's League was declared a late scratching at 11.59 a.m. when that horse was unable to be re-saddled.

Shortly after the start Hindsight (T. Bell) shifted out and contacted Eton Hall (J. Wood). Jouer Le Jeu (B. El-Issa) jumped out at the start taking Craiglea Bella (C. McIver) and Winmara (P. Hammersley) wider.

Approaching the winning post on the first occasion Will Impress (Michael Palmer), which was inclined to pull hard, had to be steadied momentarily away from the heels of Whitemore Dynasty (J. Bowditch) when that horse shifted in.

Crowning Force (J. Holder) was caught three wide on the first turn and was obliged to race three wide until assuming a position outside the leader near the 1300m. Hopeson (M. Speers) raced three wide throughout.

Rounding the home turn Hindsight was held up and unable to improve until near the 100m.

On entering the straight Smuggler's Inn (L. Cassidy) shifted out in an endeavour to improve and in doing so made contact on several occasions with Telestah La Vistah (K. Forrester), which was endeavouring to hold its racing line.

Rounding the home turn Teary Eyed (J. Byrne) was held up, and leaving the 300m was disappointed for a run between Whitemore Dynasty and Crowning Force resulting in that gelding being unable to obtain clear running over the concluding stages.

Shortly after straightening Winmara was disappointed for clear running between Jouer Le Jeu and Tripitz (M. Hellyer), which shifted ground inwards slightly.

Following the race J. Byrne, the rider of Teary Eyed, reported that rounding the home turn he intended to follow Smuggler's Inn, however when he noticed that Smuggler's Inn was unsuccessful in initially improving inside of Telestah La Vistah on straightening, he elected to switch towards the inside to obtain a run between Whitemore Dynasty and Crowning Force.

He added that when that run did not eventuate and as he was as he was positioned close to the heels of Whitemore Dynasty he was unable to shift back towards the inside when Whitemore Dynasty moved away from the rail. As a consequence the horse could not gain clear running at any stage.