MV AUG 21 - ANACHEEVA TAKES OUT MCKENZIE STAKES

By Taron Clarke | Sunday, August 22, 2010

Moonee Valley, August 21, 2010.
Track - Slow 6. Rail - out 4.0m. Penetrometer: 5.36
McKenzie Stakes Listed 3YO Colts and Geldings SW+P - 1200m.
Time: 1-14.28. (Carrying 55kg).
1 Anacheeva; 2 The Ruffian; 3 Bullbars.

The Peter Moody and Luke Nolen juggernaut continued its march in the Listed McKenzie Stakes at Moonee Valley on Saturday. In what looks to be a very exciting Spring Carnival, Moody and Nolen continue to take all before them.

Already blessed with an impressive line-up of three-year-olds, Moody produced another in the well related horse in Anacheeva, who is a full brother to 2006 AJC Derby winner Headturner.

Destined for journeys beyond the 1200 metres of the McKenzie Stakes, Anacheeva looks certain to target the Caulfield Guineas and beyond this campaign, and remember he has the breeding on his side being a full brother to a Derby winner.

The win was marred by a bad fall at around the 450 metre mark which saw Marquee Player clip heels and dislodge jockey Danny Brereton. Nick Hall was also dislodged from his mount Hollowlea.

Moody saddled up the favourite in the race, Achievements after an impressive all the way victory on a rain soaked Sandown Lakeside circuit. But it was the unfancied stablemate who stole the limelight.

The starter caught the field as one from the 1200 metre start and quickly into stride was the David Hayes trained In Faith and on his outside was the Blue Diamond Preview winner Innocent Gamble.

This duo had the early inside running as the field jockeyed for positions. The favourite Achievements was away well and jockey Craig Newitt sent the colt by Redoutes Choice forward and racing through on his inside was Seventh Bullet.

In a hectic first 200 metres, Seventh Bullet speared out the pack to take up the running from Achievements on his outside. Trailing the leader was In Faith and sitting at his flank was Innocent Gamble. Caught three wide on the track was Marquee Player for jockey Danny Brereton.

Tracking In Faith along the fence was the Snowden trained galloper Bullbars who was five lengths of the leading pair as the field raced down the side of the track and beyond the 800 metres. Following Bullbars along the fence was Anacheeva for jockey Luke Nolen. Nolen had the son of Anabaa travelling ninth on the fence and appeared to be racing in restricted galloping room.

Racing at the rear of the field was the Lee Freedman trained galloper The Ruffian, some eight lengths off the leading pair.

The field raced past the school and the leading pair of Seventh Bullet and Achievements were two lengths in front of In Faith and on its outside was Innocent Gamble. Moving up three wide under sufferance was the Danny Brereton mount Marquee Player. Coming four wide around Marquee Player was Epic Dragon for Brent Stanley and John Sadler.

Around the 450 metre mark, Marquee Player who, until this time had raced three wide throughout, was ridden along by jockey Danny Brereton. On Marquee Player’s outside was Epic Dragon who was making his move four wide on the track. On the immediate inside of Marquee Player was Broadcast and in turn on its inside was Bullbars.

Bullbars who was ridden by jockey Mark Zahra was attempting to ease off the fence around the heels of Innocent Gamble to its immediate front. Broadcast who was ridden by James Winks was aware of the shift from his inside and urged along his mount to hold its running and not let Bullbars off the fence.

At the same time as the shift comes from the inside of Marquee Player, Epic Dragon whilst making his move four wide on the track shifts in ever so slightly and this in turn triggers a chain reaction which leaves Marquee Player sandwiched between Broadcast to its inside and Epic Dragon on its outside. Marquee Player clips the heels of Broadcast and dislodges jockey Danny Brereton. Hollowlea, who was trailing Marquee player was unable to avoid the fallen runner and faltered badly thus dislodging its jockey Nick Hall. Stewards later adjourned an inquiry into the cause of the fall.

As a result of the fall Bullbars was able to ease out three and four wide around the heels of Innocent Gamble and come with his run.

In Faith for jockey Steven Arnold began to ease across the leaders heels and made an attempt to push Innocent Gamble out of the way. But Oliver on Innocent Gamble wouldn’t have a bar of it, engaging in his own bumping duel with the Hayes runner, as the runners rounded the home corner. The bumping duel put pay to both In Faith and Innocent Gamble’s chances with both horses becoming unbalanced and losing ground visibly.

The horrific fall that took place around the 450 metre mark opened the field up and this was to the benefit of the Luke Nolen’s mount Anacheeva. Nolen was able to ride the Anabaa colt for luck and save considerable ground along the inside. Anacheeva was able to track right up behind the leader and stablemate Achievements and was only a length and a half off the lead.

Another of the beneficiaries of the fall was the Freedman galloper The Ruffian. Stable jockey Dwayne Dunn had followed Anacheeva through along the fence but when Nolen brought Anacheeva off the fence shortly after straightening, Dunn elected to chase more luck and railed through underneath the tiring leaders Seventh Bullet and Achievements.

Out wide on the track the horse with the momentum was Bullbars. Bullbars and Anacheeva raced through to strike the front at the 100 metre mark and the pair were shortly joined by The Ruffian right up along the fence.
The trio engaged in a stirring go to the line with the Moody trained galloper doing the best over the concluding stages to edge out The Ruffian by a head with a nose back to Bullbars in third position.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Peter Moody: “He’s a very nice colt and I think his scope for improvement’s not measurable at this point in time. I think he will just continue to get better as the races get out to a longer trip.

“He was going to be buried back on the fence and that might have even got Trumby (Nolen) a Scobie vot. He didn’t lead!

“He (Achievements) had to do too much work. He’s a very talented colt also, but he was going to be prated five and six deep and I don’t think Craig (Newitt) had much option bar to push on. He was probably left vulnerable late, so he’ll push on to the nice colts races also.

“He is a full brother to a Derby winner in Headturner … so the Caulfield Guineas … and then we will work from there.”

Jockey Luke Nolen: “He’s not all there yet either, so he’s a little bit exciting.

He’s progressive. We didn’t think Moonee Valley would suit him and I sort of dreaded it when I drew barrier one, but the way the tracks worked out today it probably played to our advantage.

"He still had to do the job but you see when he gets to the front he sort of climbs and he doesn’t know what it’s all about yet, so when he does actually have the penny drop he’s going to be an exciting horse.”

“I was probably lucky (with the fall). Sometimes when your hard on the fence you miss most of that scrimmage and I was fortunate it sort of happened just behind me at the time. I hope they’re alright.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Anacheeva): 7.00 out to 8.00.
Favourite (Achievements): 3.70 out to 3.80 in to 3.70. Finished fifth.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Near the 1000m Rekindled Interest got unbalanced when having to be steadied away from the heels of Bullbars and in doing so Rekindled Interest shifted in and inconvenienced Anacheeva.

Near the 450m Marquee Player fell dislodging D Brereton and as a result of this Hollowlea was unable to avoid the fallen horse and as a result blundered badly dislodging N Hall.

Evidence was taken from M Zahra (Bullbars), J Winks (Broadcast), B Stanley (Epic Dragon) and C Williams (Rekindled Interest) and the matter was adjourned to a date to be fixed and at a time when D Brereton and N Hall are able to give evidence.

M Zahra rider of Bullbars was issued with a charge of careless riding under the provisions of AR137a, the careless riding being that near the 100m he permitted his mount to shift in whilst riding it along with the whip, when not clear of Innocent Gamble which was tightened for room and taken in on to In Faith resulting in crowding to that runner.

In laying the charge the Stewards did concede that Anacheeva also shifted out at this point. After considering further submissions from M Zahra in defence of the charge, the Stewards were satisfied that the shift from Anacheeva was significant enough in the way of contribution that the charge was not sustained. Nonetheless M Zahra was issued with a reprimand regarding his involvement in the incident by failing to exercise more care.

C Newitt (Achievements) was of the view that the colt had to do too much work in the early stages to take up a forward position however, overall, he was disappointed with the performance.

A post-race veterinary examination of Marquee Player revealed the gelding had sustained various small abrasions.

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