CAUL AUG 28 - MAIDEN ANGEL SOARS TO VICTORY

By Taron Clarke | Sunday, August 29, 2010

Caulfield, August 28, 2010.
Track - Slow 7. Rail - out 10.0m. Penetrometer 5.88.
H.D.F McNeil Stakes (Group Three - 3YO SW+P) - 1200m.
Time: 1-13.44. (Carrying 53kg).
1 Sistine Angel; 2 Servant; 3 Intencion.

Sistine Angel came to Caulfield a maiden galloper eligible for much easier races, however she left a definite Thousand Guineas contender after a last to first victory in the McNeil Stakes over 1100 metres.

Caulfield trainer Andrew Noblet was able to wipe the memories of a luckless campaign away as the Testa Rossa filly rocketed down the outside of the field to add some valuable Black Type to her resume.

The veteran of only four career starts to date, Sistine Angel was a definite hard luck story in at least two of those runs in her previous campaign.

Prior to the field jumping away, Stratcombe became fractious and cast in the barriers and was declared a late scratching on the veterinarian surgeon’s advice.

The majority of the field was well fared at barrier rise with the exception of the favourite Breitling, who missed the start by a length from his inside barrier.

Clearly no one jockey was keen to lead, so Michael Rodd aboard the Mark Kavanagh trained Liveandletdie was forced to stride to the front. The Peter Moody trained galloper Servant, a winner of his only two starts to date was quickly into stride and lobbed at the flanks of the leader, Liveandletdie.

Breitling, after his average getaway from urged along the fence to muster pace quickly and was soon racing a length away, under jockey Glen Boss. Racing in fourth position and getting a beautiful run through the early stages was General Truce for Stathi Katsidis.

Directly outside of General Truce was the Tony Vasil trained Intencion. The son of Commands was able to settle just better than midfield, four lengths off the leader.

Towards the rear of the field was Group One winner Yosei for regular rider Michelle Payne. Yosei settled in second last position six lengths off the leader.

On Yosei’s outside was Peter Moody’s other runner Willow Creek and whipping the field in was the maiden galloper Sistine Angel for Craig Williams. Seven lengths covered the field as they raced inside the 1000 metre mark.

With only a moderate speed up front, the favourite Breitling who missed the start a length was able to race along the fence and be the co-leader as the field raced inside the 800 metre pole.

As was the pattern of the day, the leaders raced three and four horses off the fence down the side of the track. Liveandletdie had received an easy run in front and as the field commenced the swing for home Michael Rodd quickened the speed and this in turn saw Willow Creek back in the field come off the bridle for Luke Nolen and was urged along to keep in touch.

Trailing the field was Sistine Angel for Craig Williams. Williams had ridden a patient race and allowed the daughter of Testa Rossa to ease out on to the back of Willow Creek in anticipation of coming with her run.

Breitling, by virtue of the inside run railed through to share the lead. Glen Boss elected to stay close to the inside and save ground. Michael Rodd and Liveandletdie stayed four horses off the fence and to his immediate outside was Servant for jockey Ben Melham. Tracking up on Servant’s back was Intencion for Mark Zahra and that pair were only three lengths off the leader.

Toward the rear of the field Yosei was staying close to the inside to save ground and peeling off Willow Creek’s back and spotting the leader six lengths was Sistine Angel. Sistine Angel rounded the final turn as the widest runner and had plenty of work to do.

Willow Creek was not responding to the hard riding of Luke Nolen and the filly was failing to make any impression on the leaders.

Well into the straight at the 200 metre mark, there was a line of three horses hitting the lead. Closest to the inside was the favourite Breitling. Early leader Liveandletdie was racing between runners and the horse outside the pair was Servant.

A length astern of the three leaders was Intencion, and the widest runner starting to wind up with a big run was the maiden galloper Sistine Angel. Craig Williams had shown a distinct degree of patience as he had held the filly together until the early part of the straight before asking for the supreme effort.

Servant managed to strike the front at the 100 metre mark after going stride for stride with Liveandletdie and Breitling, who were both tiring and rolling back to the inferior going.

But it was out wide on the track where the finishing burst of Sistine Angel saw the filly race up and grab Servant and get to the front at the clock tower. Battling away stoutly was Intencion and he was a length in front of the remainder of the field.

But with a withering burst of speed from the tail of the field, Sistine Angel had managed to give the field a start and a beating as she hurtled down the outside to claim the top prize.

Sistine Angel was able to score a head margin over Servant with a half-length back to Intencion in third. Group One winner Yosei flashed home along the rails to finish in fourth position only a length and a half from the winner.

The winner produced a breathtaking performance making up many lengths from a rearward position throughout. Yosei showed that she has come back in fine fettle by producing a run that was full of merit on the inside going, which was clearly identified as the inferior ground.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Andrew Noblet: “It was a hard task first-up. She came back from her last preparation really well and first-up … it was a great effort.

“She copped a big knock here one day and probably nearly should have won and then she went to Flemington and they went slow up front and she got back and ran on really well. She’s come back okay. She’s got a bit of improvement in her. Her coat’s got to come through yet so hopefully she progresses well.

“I’m glad she got a little infection in her leg last week and we couldn’t run her at the Valley ‘cause she would have had no hope (leader bias) … and we landed here in a red-hot race and she surprised me how well she went first-up, but she’s a nice horse and she’s going to go a long way.

“The Thousand Guineas is probably the main aim. The Oaks … probably not at this stage. We will wait for the autumn to get her over a longer trip, but definitely the Thousand Guineas.

“She’s got good constitution and she’s a tough little horse.

“I bought her in Perth and she’s come a long way back here and it’s nice to have a nice horse.”

Jockey Craig Williams: “I was really lucky to pick the ride up. It was Michelle Payne’s horse and she’s got to ride Yosei, so I was pretty happy today.

Watching her tapes I was looking forward to seeing how she came back as a three-year-old filly because her runs as a two-year-old really put the writing on the wall and her win today was very impressive.

“So far no horses have made ground today and they didn’t go fast in the race. The horses that I wanted to follow were in front of me and they were all pretty much well snatched up because they didn’t go very fast … but when I asked her to extend I didn’t want to force her round the turn because she was first-up.

“I thought even if she could do something I might burn her out around the turn, so I was a bit more patient and when I pressed the button she just put her little head down and she really gave me a really good feel.

“She is a class filly.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Sistine Angel): 12.00 out to 15.00.
Favourite (Breitling) 5.50 into 5.00. Finished sixth.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Prior to the commencement of the meeting, Stewards established with trainer Mr R Smerdon that Breitling would be ridden just off the speed today from its favourable draw if circumstances permit.

Stratcombe was fractious in the barriers and became cast and was subsequently a late withdrawal at 2.21pm on veterinary advice. Trainer Mr M Price was advised that Stratcombe must trial to the satisfaction of Stewards prior to racing again

Breitling, Yosei and Sistine Angel were all slow to begin.

Shortly after the start Servant dipped.

Glenkinchie pulled very hard in the early and middle stages.

Servant raced wide without cover.

Intencion lost its near-hind plate during the running of the race.

When questioned regarding the tactics adopted on Glenkinchie today S Baster explained that he had been instructed to try and ride the filly off the speed as history had shown that the breed had raced best when ridden in this manner, however the filly failed to settle and pulled quite hard.

He added that he was unable to put his mount under adequate pressure in the straight as his mount was laying in and inside the final 100m he had to take hold of this mount when Yosei shifted out and at the same time Liveandletdie was weakening in front of him.

S Katsidis (General Truce) reported that his mount failed to handle today’s track conditions.

G Boss reported that Breitling was overall disappointing today and in his opinion was ready for a spell.

M Rodd (Liveandletdie) reported that his mount did not handle today’s track conditions

More articles