DOOM AUG 14 - BORSHA’S WARRIOR CLAIMS INCH PERFECT VICTORY

By Graham Potter | Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Doomben, August 14, 2010.
Track - Dead 5. Rail - out 2m. Penetrometer - 5.3.
1MW Handicap (C, G & E) - 1350m.
Time: 1-20.29. (Carrying 54kg).
1 Borsha's Warrior; 2 Hangover Henry; 3 Black Morgan.

The Les Kelly trained Borsha’s Warrior came home under a finely judged ride by Jason Holder to claim the eleventh win of his career at Doomben on Saturday.

The seven-year-old is an acknowledged difficult ride but his ability has seldom been in question. If things go his way and he can put it all together he can be a difficult horse to keep out … as Hangover Henry found to his cost as these runners battled for supremacy over the last 150m.

The fact of the matter is that the manner in which Holder manoeuvred the headstrong grey in the early part of the race had as much to do with claiming victory as the rousing finish the Kelly runner produced at the business end of affairs.

Borsha’s Warrior jumped from an outside draw and Holder (who was the sixth different jockey to ride Borsha’s Warrior in the gelding’s last six runs) showed a deft touch when he skillfully angled his mount inwards to quickly find a place on the running rail in fourth spot, some three to four lengths off the lead after the field had travelled less than 200m.

Defend The Hill had assumed the front-running role from Triskele. Red Ferments, in third, was racing outside Borsha’s Warrior giving the grey some much needed cover as Holder continued to give Borsha’s Warrior the run of the race.

Black Morgan was fifth, racing to the rear and outside of Borsha’s Warrior. The latter was tracked by Hangover Henry who loped along comfortably in sixth place.

Defend The Hill still held a useful advantage turning for home. Triskele (two wide) was still the closest runner to the leader and Borsha’s Warrior (three wide) had improved into third place, perfectly poised to strike. Red Ferments was gone, while Hangover Henry continued to save ground along the inside.

Once the field was given full bore, it was Hangover Henry who sprinted quickest of all. He took off, lined up the split between Defend The Hill and the tiring Triskele … and drove forward with meaning.

Defend The Hill cried enough coming through the 200m mark and Hangover Henry hit the front with 180m left to run. The David Murphy trained runner looked every inch a winner at that stage.

Borsha’s Warrior was coming on, but had yet to build significant moment. Out wide Black Morgan and The Joker were thereabouts, while Supreme De Lago, who had been very slow away and who had cornered well out of his ground, was also starting to improve his position.

With 100m left to run Borsha’s Warrior was chasing hard. He was still a little over a length in arrears at that stage and Hangover Henry was not giving anything away cheaply.

Inside the last 100m and Borsha’s Warrior was now reeling in Hangover Henry with each passing stride … the progress of his grey head being clearly noticeable against the backdrop of the black colouring of Hangover Henry.

The latter was still in front three strides from the line … then two … then Borsha’s Warrior’s nose was in front of his rival. Right on the line … Holder and Borsha’s Warrior has fashioned an inch perfect victory.

Black Morgan finished third. Supreme De Lago was fourth.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Les Kelly: “He is definitely an under-rated horse. He is a very hard horse to ride because he pulls so hard. He is a real hard-going horse.

“I said to Jason Holder, if you can get some cover on this horse, he can do anything. He usually draws wide and is caught off the track and he just gets himself into trouble.

“Today, he had him on the fence from the outside barrier after probably a hundred yards and that’s what probably made the difference.

“He hit the line beautifully. If this horse would settle, he would run a mile. There’s no doubt about that.”

Jockey Jason Holder: “Yeah, I managed to get him across so he did have cover today, but he was still keen to get on with it. At the 400m mark though I thought, geez he’s going to be hard to beat because he just felt terrific.

“I knew he’s be challenged, obviously, because it was a good race. On the post, to be honest, I wasn’t sure I’d won. I had my head down and backside up, mate … just doing my best.

“Yeah, the riding ranks in Brisbane is very competitive. It makes you stand up, you know. It’s not an easy game anywhere you go. Like I say, it is very competitive. Always has been. It’s good to come here and ride a winner.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Borsha’s Warrior): 11.00 out to 12.00.
Equal favourite (Red Ferments): 3.00 out to 3.60. Finished seventh.
Equal favourite (Supreme De Lago): 3.50 out to 3.60. Finished fourth.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
The start of this race was delayed when Three Chances had to be unloaded and the tongue tie reaffixed.

Supreme De Lago (B. Pengelly) stood flat footed at the start. The stable representative for trainer D. Sutton was advised that a warning would be placed on the horse.

Red Ferments (C. Munce) and Borsha's Warrior (J. Holder) over-raced in the early stages.

The Joker (M. Walker) raced wide from a point leaving the 700m. Albert Cadabra (C. McIver) hung in rounding the home turn.

C. Munce, the rider of Red Ferments, which performed below expectation, reported that it was a dour effort from the horse and in his opinion felt it may benefit from a short let-up.

Trainer P. Sexton agreed with the comments of jockey Munce and advised stewards that he would now give the horse a short let-up from racing in an attempt to freshen Red Ferments in preparation for its next race start.

A post-race veterinary examination of Red Ferments revealed the horse to be lame in the off-foreleg. Mr Sexton was advised that he must produce a veterinary certificate of fitness for Red Ferments before its next race start.

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