DOOM AUG 28 - CHILLED TURNS ON THE HEAT

By Graham Potter | Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Doomben, August 28, 2010.
Track - Good 3. Rail - out 6m. Penetrometer - 4.6.
Class 6 Handicap - 1640m.
Time: 1-39.62. (Carrying 55kg).
1 Chilled; 2 Threat; 3 Supreme De Lago.

Chilled, who was the biggest market-mover to win on the day ($17.00 in to $12.00), took his race by the scruff of the neck from the break and maintained enough pressure all the way to the line to squeeze the breath out of the challenges of all of his rivals to secure a solid end-to end victory.

Set to carry the top weight of 58kg in this Class 6 Handicap, trainer Les Kelly elected to put a claiming apprentice on board and that move paid off handsomely as young Justin Wood not only gave his mount some relief at the weights, but he also gave it an inch perfect ride and he followed the instructions from Kelly to the letter.

Chilled showed good enough gate speed to allow Wood to cross his field without any undue effort and the five-year-old led the field into the back straight racing a length in advance of Telestah La Vistah.

Chilled then maintained a steady gallop, but had to quicken up a little bit to hold the rail and his advantage when Just A Touch made a forward move halfway up the back straight.

Having put that one back in his place, Chilled travelled comfortable through the sweep to the turn a length ahead of Just A Touch, who had Naniwa on his outside in third spot. The favourite Norteno was fourth, back along the inside tracking the speed. Telstah La Vistah had gone back to fifth place.

On straightening Chilled enjoyed a useful advantage over Just A Touch. Naniwa was gone and was about to fall away. Norteno was saving ground along the inside, well poised to strike, while Supreme De Lago, who had been held wide throughout, was the another runner looming large as he moved into contention. Wider out and further back, Threat was also starting to knuckle down.

The challengers might have been queuing up, but Chilled and Wood were unfazed by their presence.

The five-year-old kicked on with meaning early in the straight. That effort was too much for Just a Touch who cried enough just inside the 200m mark. Norteno and Supreme De Lago were still wacking away, but neither had the conviction of the leader who clearly had their measure with 100m left to run.

The only remaining concern for Chilled was the fast finishing Threat who was making ground rapidly out wide on the track, but Wood had rated his mount perfectly and Chilled had enough in hand to keep Threat’s belated challenge at bay by a comfortable 0,75 length margin.

Supreme De Lago’s persistence off a tough run as rewarded with a third placing. Ausworld, who made up ground well enough along the inside without threatening the result, finished fourth.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Les Kelly: “It was the plan to be aggressive early. We looked at the race. I thought Telestah La Vistah would probably lead and bring us across (Chilled jumped from the eleven barrier) and I said to young Justin (Wood) just sit outside it … but if you are caught wide, just press on.

“I said to the owners he needed the run at Casino (where he finished sixth in the Casino Cup in his previous start, just 1.70 lengths behind the winner, River Street), but he was unlucky as well because he went for a run about 100m out and the gap closed. Probably … he might not have won, but he was in the finish.

“He’s had a few problems this horse. I think I’ve sorted them out, so we’re looking forward to him really going on with the job now.

“I think he’ll run further than a mile. I think he will run 2000m, no worries.

“We were going to go to the Ballina Cup, but he probably be out-weighted now. There’s an 1800 Class 6 Plate here next week. We’ll probably look at that.”

Jockey Justin Wood: “I spoke to my form expert and also Mr Kelly. Our only option was to go forward from that gate.

“He is a bit touchy in the mouth and if we were going to go back it was going to get him out of his comfort zone a little bit more than we wanted.

“I let him stride to the front. Initially I wanted to sit up off the leader, but nothing was really taking an initial lead, so I thought, bugger it, we’ll go to the lead and get some nice sectionals down the back straight.

“He came back to me nicely, you know. I just had a nice little hold … just letting him breath. From about the 500 I just had him high-rolling, you know, without going for him. I just had him comfortable … comfortable. He gave me a good feeling in the straight when I went for him.

“He was definitely strong on the line. I think the horse is just going to get better from here. The connections said they had some problems with him earlier, but I think he is back on-song now.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Chilled): 17.00 in to 12.00.
Favourite (Norteno): 4.00 out to 4.20 in to 3.40. Finished sixth.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Bearhart Gold (R. McMahon) blundered on jumping away.

Matter Of Priority (D. Green) and Lastpic (M. Hellyer) were tightened for room after the start between Norteno (M. Cahill) and Naniwa (A. Butler), both of which shifted ground.

Near the 1400m Naniwa commenced to over-race at the heels of Ausworld (B. Stewart). When being restrained, Naniwa then shifted out and was obliged to race three wide from that point onwards.

Supreme De Lago (C. Munce) raced three wide throughout. Bearhart Gold over-raced in the early stages.

C. Munce reported that Supreme De Lago laid in under pressure in the home straight, placing him at a disadvantage.

A post-race veterinary examination of Supreme De Lago revealed the gelding to be lame in the near-foreleg. Connections will be advised that they must produce a veterinary certificate of fitness for the horse prior to its next start.

Stewards sought an explanation from M. Cahill in respect of the seemingly disappointing performance of Norteno.

M. Cahill stated that the horse secured a nice run from the good alley and travelled well, however failed to respond to his riding rounding the home turn and compounded in the straight.

Trainer B. Wakefield was unable to provide any explanation for the horse's poor performance but suggested that the horse may not have appreciated the firm surface today and undertook to advise stewards of anything that comes to light in following days that may have had an effect on the performance. A post-race veterinary examination Norteno failed to reveal any abnormalities.

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