FLEM SEPT 04 - NO EVIDENCE NEEDED AS PATINACK STRIKES IN LET’S ELOPE

By Taron Clarke | Sunday, September 5, 2010

Flemington, September 4, 2010.
Track - Slow 7. Rail - True. Penetrometer 5.02.
Let’s Elope Stakes (Group 2) 4YO and Up Mares SW+P - 1400m.
Time: 1-26.88. 600m Sectional: 36.57. (Carrying 53.5kg).
1 No Evidence Needed; 2 Response; 3 Live In Sin.
Margins: 0.1L x 0.2L.

Patinack Farm mentor John Thompson brought up an interstate double with the victory of No Evidence Needed in the Let’s Elope Stakes at Flemington.

Having just her second run this campaign, No Evidence Needed will race exclusively in mare’s company enroute to a possible start in the Group One Myer Classic to be held at Flemington on Derby Day.

Ridden by underrated jockey James Winks, No Evidence Needed settled midfield, some eight lengths off the leader Live In Sin.

One of two Patinack Farm gallopers in the race, No Evidence Needed started at double figure odds and added some valuable Black Type to her resume with the win.

The early leader Live In Sin managed to hold a length margin over 2009 Thousand Guineas winner Irish Lights at the 300 metre pole, and a further three lengths astern was No Evidence Needed, who was starting to respond to the callings of jockey James Winks.

The favourite for the event Response, had settled well back in the field and was brought to the extreme outside of the field to make up ground down the straight from her rearward position.

Pacemaker Live In Sin had managed to beat off the challenge of Irish Lights and was fighting on gallantly when challenged by No Evidence Needed and wider on the track Response was starting to hit top gear.

But it was the colours of Patinack Farm and No Evidence Needed that prevailed as James Winks produced a well-timed run to grab the lead fifty metres from home and hold off the late surge of Response to post a slender victory.

Peter Moody’s galloper Live In Sin did a tremendous job to hold on to third after being challenged up the entire Flemington straight.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer John Thompson: “She is a lovely mare and is well deserving of that.

“We have always had a good opinion of her and it was great.

“Ultimately I would like to say the Spring target is the Myer Classic. She’s well worth a crack at that and we will keep plugging away towards that.

“He (Shamardal) is a super stallion … sound, tough and they can all run. We hope to get a few more.”


Owner Nathan Tinkler: “We had a nice win earlier in Sydney (with Gathering) and it was a good win today.

“She got a bit further back than we thought, but we needed to hit the line.

“At the 300m I was a bit worried because it looked like we weren’t going to get clear running … but she saved it till last and she was good.

“I feel like I own him (the sire Shamardal) because I think out of his stakes winners we had about three quarters of them there at one stage. We’ve had good luck with this stallion. He’s been good for us.

“He’s (Shamardal) is just super. I don’t want to turn this into an advertisement for Darley, but he was a good race horse at the right money. We didn’t have to pay much for him, so it was worth the punt I thought.

“It’s going along well. There is no shortage of winners coming. A few more metro ones would be nice!

“She’ll probably end up in a Myer Classic, that’s what we were hoping. She needed to win a race like this to prove that she was worthwhile being there.”

Jockey James Winks: “Look, it’s great, you get opportunities from Mr Tinkler. I’ve only had two rides for two wins now and both times I have ridden some nice horses. She’s on the Myer’s Classic path and she will be damn competitive in that.

“It was super performance. She travelled nice. She sprinted really, really good at about the 400m and to her credit probably 100m out she peaked, but she had the momentum and she was full of running and good enough to hold them off.

“It is testing ground out there now. Like I said I felt her come back underneath the last little bit, but she had a good filly in Response chasing her down and she was still able to put her head out.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (No Evidence Needed): 15.00 out to 21.00 in to 20.00.
Favourite Response 4.00 into 3.80 out to 4.20. Finished third.

Horse to Follow: Runner up Response made up a lot of ground over the concluding stages and a win is not far around the corner. Craig Williams rode the lightly raced mare patiently and with her ability to handle all types of going, Response will continue to be competitive in any race she steps out in.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT: On jumping away Dariana got unbalanced when crowded for room between Believe ‘N Achieve which shifted out and Response which shifted in.

S Arnold (Irish Lights) stated his mount travelled well until put under pressure inside the 200m and in his opinion the mare failed to handle the track conditions.

B Melham could offer no explanation for the disappointing performance of Rhythm In Paris today adding that he was not convinced that the track conditions played a part.

A post-race veterinary examination of Rhythm In Paris revealed no abnormalities other than a slower than normal recovery.

The track was downgraded to a Heavy 8 at 2.52pm after the running of this race.

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