DOOM AUG 14 - FALVELINA GIVES BOGENHUBER HER FIRST CITY SATURDAY WIN

By Graham Potter | Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Doomben, August 14, 2010.
Track - Dead 4. Rail - out 2m. Penetrometer - 5.3.
Class 6 Plate (Set Weights) - 1010m.
Time: 58.13. (Carrying 49kg).
1 Falvelina; 2 Alberton Park; 3 Cat Eyes.

Apprentice jockey Skye Bogenhuber is no stranger to the winners’ enclosure, but every jockeys’ career is lined with landmark victories which mark their progress and Bogenhuber posted one of those wins which she kept the Tony Gollan trained Falvelina going long enough to ward off all challenges at Doomben on Saturday.

Falvelina was Bogenhuber’s first, city, Saturday winner! She handled the ride with aplomb.

Larry Cassidy had been aboard Falvelina in her previous win which came in a Three-Year-Old Handicap over 1100m at Doomben two runs prior to this outing. She showed strong conviction when fighting on under pressure on that occasion to hold off the smart One Lickety Split by a short-head margin and was just as brave in her subsequent outing when beaten by 2.30 lengths by Belletrist over her less preferred 1200m trip.

This time Falvelina was down in the weights (from 54.5kg to 51kg, before Bogenhuber’s 2kg claim) and she was back in distance (from 1200m to 1010m), so she had plenty in her favour. The start though (Falvelina was jumping from an outside draw), would be critical to her chances.

Falvelina overcame that disadvantage by showing good gate speed which easily carried her across her field into an immediate two length lead.

The top weight Allervite then latched on to Falvelina and stayed a length in arrears in second spot until his jockey Glen Colless decided to raise the ante approaching the turn.

Colless pushed Allervite forward to try and pressure Favelina just before straightening, but the 8.5kg difference in the weights quickly settled that argument and Falvelina, who had been superbly rated by Bogenhuber throughout, bounded away from her rivals early in the straight.

The lead was out to three lengths with 200m left to run.

Cat Eyes was the first runner to start cutting into that margin. The Kelso Wood trained runner had found his feet and was charging down the centre of the track while the favourite Alberton Park was now also in full cry out wider on the track.

The latter had saved ground until the turn where she cornered in fifth place, six lengths off the leader. Rider Chris McIver then eased the main fancy out around heels and asked his mount to launch her finishing effort. She responded well, making a strong forward move and she had the equally keen Beyonce’s Star in tow.

Although he leading margin was now coming down with each stride, Falvelina was fighting on stoutly.

With 100m left to run Falvelina’s advantage was down to two lengths to Cat Eyes. At that stage Alberton Park was a length further back and closing quickly on the two runners in front of her.

Beyonce’s Star was three-quarters-of-a-length behind Alberton Park and was running on well. Ulladulla, who had always been prominent on the inside, was still there, but he wasn’t finding enough to trouble the scorer.

Alberton Park went past Cat Eyes inside the 100m mark and she continued to close on Favlelina. The favourite got close enough to have a dive late … missed, and Skye Bogenhuber had just ridden her first, Saturday, city winner!

The final winning margin was a short-neck. Cat Eyes lasted for third. Beyonce’s Star was fourth. In the end only 0.60 lengths separated the first four runners across the line.

Falvelina is now a four-time winner from thirteen starts. The mare also has three minor placings to her credit.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Darryl Gollan (spokesman for the Tony Gollan stable): “When she won here … maybe ten months ago, she ran great time with 56kg’s. With 49kg’s on her back today, the race was tailor-made for her.

“One of the reasons Tony decided to put Skye (Bogenhuber) on her is because she is one of those sort of horses … she is a ladies horse … she doesn’t like being stood over.

“Skye is a lot kinder and we thought we would get there today. Skye is a very, very hard worker. She is a good kid. She deserves her success.”

Apprentice jockey Skye Bogenhuber: “Yeah, I was going to jump really positive (from a wide draw). I really wanted to lead, because I know she is a lot happier out in front strolling along.

“I’ve ridden her ever since she came into the stable as a baby. Yeah, I ride her every day. I just know her in and out, so I think that was why Tony (Gollan) decided to put me on in the end … to give me a go and it’s paid off. At least she runs for me.

“That’s only my third city win and it’s my first win on a Saturday in town, so I’m pretty excited.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Falvelina): 9.00 in to 8.00.
Favourite (Alberton Park): 3.80 out to 3.90 in to 3.80. Finished second.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Falvelina (S. Bogenhuber), which made contact with the enclosure fence, was examined by the veterinary surgeon and passed suitable to race.

Stewards sought an explanation from J. Byrne regarding the performance of Sweepstaking. J. Byrne stated that the horse travelled reasonably well in the early stages, however he was forced to apply pressure to Sweepstaking leaving the 600m just to hold his position.

J. Byrne added that the way in which Sweepstaking finished the race off pleased him and he felt that the mare would be much better suited over a distance longer than that of today's event.

A post-race veterinary examination of Allervite (G. Colless) revealed the gelding to be sore in both knees and lame in the off-foreleg. Trainer C. Halliday was advised that a veterinary certificate of fitness for Allervite must be produced prior to its next start.

Following the running of this race, the track was upgraded to Dead 4, retrospective to Race 4.

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