MV AUG 21 – GHOSTLY GREY STANZ’OUT AT VALLEY

By Taron Clarke | Sunday, August 22, 2010

Moonee Valley, August 21, 2010.
Track - Slow 6. Rail - out 4.0m. Penetrometer: 5.36
4YO+ Handicap - 1000m.
Time: 1-00.26. (Carrying 56kg).
1 Stanzout; 2 Morgan Dollar; 3 Keano.

Cranbourne trainer Colin Davies’ good galloper Stanzout continued his consistent form this campaign with a resounding victory at Moonee Valley. The win took the gelding’s prize money to just shy of $700,000, which is not a bad effort considering the eight year old has only had the forty career starts.

Stanzout was dropping in class after excellent performances in the Sir John Monash Stakes behind Reward For Effort and his most recent run beaten only half a length behind the star of the Australasian turf, Shoot Out in the Group Three Bletchingly Stakes.

Craig Williams took the mount and the pair returned to the scene where Stanzout put in a career best performance when placing second in the 2008 Australia Stakes where he was beaten a touch over a length by champion sprinter Apache Cat.

From the 1000 metre start the grey son of Gallo Di Ferro was quickly into stride, and Williams let the gelding slide down on to the fence. Favourite for the race was the other grey in the field Morgan Dollar. Ridden by Craig Newitt, Morgan Dollar didn’t begin as well as we know he can, but was quick to muster pace and race through and take up the early running.

Enigmatic sprinter Keano had begun well from his outside barrier and James Winks sent the entire forward to sit outside the leader’s quarter. Stanzout lobbed into a beautiful trailing position third on the fence with Testapal sitting up on his outside four lengths off the leader.

The well-credentialed Gold Salute was away fairly at barrier rise but did not have the natural brilliance of his more nippy rivals and jockey Damien Oliver was forced to ride the son of Testa Rossa along to keep in touch. Gold Salute settled down in second last position some eight lengths off the leader which was the speedy Morgan Dollar.

The field scooted past the 600 metre marker with Morgan Dollar a clear leader by two and a half lengths to Keano and Stanzout who kicking up underneath him. A further length and a half astern was Testapal with Royal Discretion holding his inside. Gold Salute continued to race in second last position and under the urgings of Damien Oliver spotted the leader a widening nine lengths.

As the sprinters commenced the turn for home, Morgan Dollar held a confortable length margin with jockey Newitt taking a sustained look over his right shoulder. He could see that the chasers, predominately Keano and Stanzout were waging their own bumping duel as Williams aboard Stanzout was attempting to secure a run to the outside of the leaders heels and under Keano’s neck.

With plenty of horse underneath him, Williams was able to push out underneath Keano who was doing his best to hold Stanzout in a pocket. From the back of the field, there was no runner’s making any ground on the leading trio.

High balling grey Morgan Dollar balanced up a length and a half in front of Stanzout with Keano slightly wilting in third position. Three lengths astern were the chasers which included Royal Discretion, Testapal and Secret Flyer.

But inside the 100 metre marker, it was clear the two greys were going to fight out the race as Stanzout raced up to claim Morgan Dollar and a length back was Keano who had done enough to hold third. Williams and Stanzout raced to the front and went on to record a confortable victory by a length and a quarter to the tiring Morgan Dollar with a short half head back to Keano who battled on stoutly for third. The first three streeted the remainder of the field by three and three quarter lengths to the fourth placed horse which was Testapal.

The class of the winner shone to the fore and he was able to settle a lot closer in the run than anyone could have imagined. No one could begrudge Stanzout and trainer Colin Davies the win after being highly competitive in his previous two starts in Weight for Age company.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Colin Davies: "It's taken a long time and a lot of work but I tell you what, he's worth it, he's still got plenty in him.

"The reason I brought him here today is because I'm aiming him at the Manikato here next month and I wanted to see if he would handle Moonee Valley again, which he did.

“When the EI hit, he won his Group Two and he got his injections and he got polyps in his windpipe and he got an infection in his lung. When he was coming back he tore a muscle off his hip. He broke his wither which is not affected him, so he’s had his issues and it’s all been hard work and it’s paying off.

"He's run unbelievable sectional times at his past two starts and hopefully the Manikato is in sight."

"I don't want to over-race him but he could run in the Bobbie Lewis. I'm trying to keep him for the main races such as the Manikato.

"He's never won at 1000 metres before, but he's going that good I was confident he could do it today.”

Jockey Craig Williams: “The idea was to ride the speed … with Galbraith out of it there was still going to be genuine tempo. Credit has got to go to Colin. He knows this horse so well and he just … we might as well just come around for $100,000 gallop.

"I just love the horse’s attitude and he really pinged the machines, rode the pace really well and it was a soft win. His weight for age racing has been great as well and credit to an old horse that’s racing so well and today just gives you more confidence.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Stanzout): 4.00 out to 4.80.
Favourite (Morgan Dollar): 3.80 out to 4.40 in to 4.20. Finished second.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Galbraith was a late withdrawal at 2.05pm when it was established that the gelding was lame in the off-fore heel.

Avienus, Royal Discretion and Gold Salute were all slow to begin.

Rounding the home turn near the 200m Stanzout shifted out making contact with Keano (NZ) which was forced wider on the track.

Inside the final 100m Avienus, when making ground, had to be steadied and shifted in to avoid the heels of Testapal.

Near the 50m Morgan Dollar shifted out and bumped Stanzout.

Keano (NZ) lost its off-fore plate during the running of the race.

L McGill (Secret Flyer) explained that his mount knuckled at the start and a post-race veterinary examination of Secret Flyer revealed no abnormalities other than a slower than normal recovery.

D Oliver (Gold Salute) was of the view that his mount was outpaced over the 1000m distance of today’s race. A post-race veterinary examination of Gold Salute revealed no abnormalities.

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