FLEM SEPT 04 - BIG SHOCK IN MAKYBE DIVA

By Taron Clarke | Sunday, September 5, 2010

Flemington, September 4, 2010.
Track - Heavy 8. Rail - True. Penetrometer 5.02.
Makybe Diva Stakes (Group 2) Open WFA - 1600m.
Time: 1-41.70. 600m Sectional: 36.54. (Carrying 59kg).
1 Shocking; 2 Heart of Dreams; 3 Vigor.
Margins: 0.5L x 1.3L.

2009 Melbourne Cup hero Shocking staked claim to a repeat performance this year with a scintillating victory in the Group Two Makybe Diva Stakes over 1600 metres at Flemington on Saturday.

Only days after being allocated 57kg for this year’s Melbourne Cup, Shocking proved he is not just a handicapper with his first victory at Weight for Age level.

Shocking maintained his perfect Flemington record with the Makybe Diva Stakes win and his record at headquarters now reads four starts for four victories.

With stable jockey Michael Rodd in the saddle, the pair rung up their first victory together since the win in the Lexus Stakes on Derby Day 2009, the race that saw Shocking propel himself into the 2009 Melbourne Cup.

Rodd settled the son of Street Cry in the second half of the field some ten lengths off the leader who was Kiwi visitor Sterling Prince.

The favourite for the event was the Sydney pairing of Danleigh and Jim Cassidy. Cassidy settled the Chris Waller trained gelding three wide outside of the eventual winner Shocking.

The race was run at a genuine clip and saw the field stretched out over some fourteen lengths.

In the early part of the straight, Rodd brought the Mark Kavanagh trained galloper to the outside of the favourite Danleigh and gave him plenty of room to come with his run.

Heart of Dreams had reached the front at the 200 metre mark and Shocking was some three lengths astern, but was making big inroads.

Shocking came with giant strides beyond the centre of the track and struck the front at the 100 metre mark and, with Michael Rodd yielding the whip in the left hand, the Street Cry entire gained the upper hand to score a convincing victory over Heart of Dreams.

Last year’s winner Vigor did a good job to hold on for third place ahead of the favourite Danleigh, who never looked a winning chance.

But all honours must go with Shocking. Surely, with his maiden victory at Weight for Age, the 57kg allotted to him in the Melbourne Cup doesn’t appear have him too harshly treated.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Mark Kavanagh: “Amazing! It’s a hard ask. He is unbeaten at Flemington. He is going better than he was last year, but I thought it was a bit of a hard ask second up over a mile here to tell you the truth.

“He is lightly raced, he is twelve months older, but he has certainly shown he has come back better. He sure is in the zone this prep.

“When they lined up at the top of the straight I knew he was going to be there. He was excellent.

“Maybe you will see him at Flemington right the way through as much as we can, but certainly the Cox Plate is on the radar, but he is not a really flash Mooney Valley horse, but he is going good.

“He has switched on, he was messing around last year. He is fair dinkum now.”

Jockey Michael Rodd: “We have said all along that he has come back a lot sharper. He’s a different horse.

“He has switched right on and he knows what his job is and he showed that today. He travelled up nicely. I was really happy through the going and once I pulled him out he’s got that good turn of foot and he keeps going. He’s four from four here at Flemington. He loves the place.

“This time he does it for you. You don’t have to make him do it.

“If you go back and look at his runs this time last year he was always getting pushed along and the jockey would have spurs on him and he would be laying around, but now he is travelling up and going through his gears … so it is pretty exciting I can tell you.

“Yes we have no problems with making the weight this year and let’s just hope we can get him there.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Shocking): 15.00 out to 21.00 in to 18.00.
Favourite Danleigh 3.80 out to 5.00. Finished fourth.

Horse to Follow: Clearly the return to the large open spaces of Flemington suited Shocking. The son of Street Cry showed he is on track to defend his Melbourne Cup crown on the first Tuesday in November. Shocking’s first win at Weight for Age proves that the horse is in for a career best campaign and he will only improve as the distances increase.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT: Trainer Mr R Hickmott was fined the sum of $50 for presenting Mourayan (IRE) in the mounting yard without blinkers which are a part of that horses approved gear.

Mourayan (IRE) was examined by the Club’s veterinary surgeon behind the barriers and passed fit to run.

A short distance after the start Mourayan (IRE) and Rebel Raider were crowded for room between Alandi (IRE) which was taken out by Chartreux and Shocking at the same time shifted in. This resulted in Mourayan (IRE) getting quite unbalanced and losing ground.

Monaco Consul (NZ) wanted to hang in rounding the home turn.

J Winks (Vigor (NZ)) was issued with a reprimand for permitting his mount to shift in near the 1400m when not fully clear of Speed Gifted (GB) which in turn tightened the running of Monaco Consul (NZ) and Red Ruler (NZ).

Near the 300m Chartreux was checked severely when crowded for room between Monaco Consul (NZ) which had been taken out initially by Red Ruler (NZ), and at the same time C’est La Guerre shifted in after contact was made to that horse’s hindquarters by Chartreux.

In all the circumstances the Stewards were of the view there were a number of contributing factors to such a degree that no rider or riders could be held responsible for the incident.

Sterling Prince hung out in the straight and as result S King was unable to ride his mount out in his normal manner.

Monaco Consul (NZ) continued to lay in inside the final 300m.

C’est La Guerre was held up in the early part of the straight before gaining clear running near the 300m.

Speed Gifted (GB) lost its off-fore plate during the running of the race.

C Lindop (Rebel Raider) reported that her mount didn’t handle the track conditions today.

J Cassidy (Danleigh) reported that the gelding was never travelling on the bit throughout the event and was under pressure prior to the home turn.

C Newitt (Red Ruler) reported at scales that he was obliged to race a little closer when he was tightened for room by Monaco Consul (NZ) approaching the 1400m.

L Nolen reported at scale that he felt there was something amiss with Speed Gifted and for that reason he eased it down over the final 100m. A subsequent veterinary examination of Speed Gifted revealed no abnormalities.

The veterinary surgeon of trainer Mr L Freedman, Dr J Walker, advised the Stewards that Speed Gifted pulled up distressed and after undergoing an endoscopic examination revealed that the gelding was suffering from a mild respiratory tract infection and undertook to notify the Stewards in due course, the results of a full veterinary examination.

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