EF SEPT 04 - CAPTAIN SONADOR’S STRONG RETURN

By Graham Potter | Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Eagle Farm, September 4, 2010.
Track - Good 3. Rail - True.
Open Handicap - 1200m.
Time: 1-09.84. Last 600m: 34.47. (Carrying 57.5)
1 Captain Sonador; 2 Ulladulla; 3 Changing Eyes.
Margins: 1.75L; 1.25L.

Trainer Roger Milne has a southern campaign to look forward to after a ‘not fully wound up’ Captain Sonador lined his opposition in Open Handicap over 1200m at Eagle Farm on Saturday. It was the four-year-olds first outing since being sidelined with injury at the end of March.

The most satisfying aspect of Captain Sonador’s win was that it was achieved with a minimum of fuss, in spite of the fact that the entire went back to last place shortly after the start where he raced some four-and-a-half lengths off the front-runner, Ulladulla.

Ulladulla held his advantage until the turn where he cornered a length in front of Agnes Dream, with Sam’s Express (three wide) and Changing Eyes (on the inside) also poised close to the action.

At that stage Captain Sonador was still last. Jockey Chris Munce had switched his mount out all of six wide and he had more than five lengths to make up, but Captain Sonador quickly set about doing just that when Munce gave him more rein early in the straight.

As Ulladulla shrugged off the challenges of those closest to him, Captain Sonador’s big bounds carried him fluently past the bulk of his opposition so that, with 200m left to run, it was only the game, long-time leader Ulladulla who stood between Capain Sonador and victory.

The latter was running in as he swept past his rivals, but his momentum never missed a beat. The favourite moved up alongside Ulladulla approaching the 100m mark and, although, Ulladulla did keep the main fancy honest over the concluding stages, the result was never in doubt as Captain Sonador drew away to score by a comfortable 1.75 length margin.

Ulladulla and Changing Eyes finished second and third respectively.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Roger Milne: “He’s come back so much better. He really has.

“I said all through his two-year-old career … wait until he is a three-year-old. He improved then and now he has improved even further.

“I was hopeful he would win well. I haven’t got him fully wound up yet. That was the stepping stone to heading to Melbourne and Sydney … that was the talk. Win well today and we’ll be away. So I’m packing my bags!

“Yes we have a path mapped out. Two weeks time the Shannon at Rosehill and the Epsom two weeks after that.

“He’d have to win possibly the Epsom to go on from there. The Shannon is only a Group 3 or Group 2, so I think he’ll have to win the Epsom to get where we want to be. The dream is to get to the Cox Plate, but we’ll take it one step at a time.”

Jockey Chris Munce: “He was still pretty big in condition. Probably the last 100m … I wouldn’t say he was out on his feet, but he was feeling the race.

“The first part of the race I really didn’t want to be where I was. I had intended to be a little bit closer if possible. You know I just had to ride him back there and keep him out of trouble …get him into his rhythm and let his class do the rest.

“He was basically the class runner and he raced accordingly. We had to get rid of Plan A and Plan B, but we were pretty happy with Plan C and his class came through in the end.

“There was no doubt he was the class runner in the race. The only query was his fitness today, but class can take you a long way I suppose.

“He’s come back in fine order this bloke. I trialed him the other day at Doomben. He trialed up very nice. His action was very nice. He felt terrific in himself.

“He was very fresh. I thought he might have raced a little bit like that today, but he didn’t. He got back and he finished off terrific.

“Like I said, he is still very big in condition. Once Roger (Milne) gets him big-race fit … he’s already shown he is up to the better class racehorses … you know, if he stays injury-free, he’ll be very competitive.

“If he goes to Sydney, I’d go. He is a nice horse and he is certainly worth riding.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Captain Sonador): 2.25 out to 2.40.
The winner was the favourite.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Trainer K. Schweida was fined the sum of $100.00 for the late declaration of R. McMahon as the rider for Ulladulla.

Joint Chiefs (M. Cahill) jumped away awkwardly and lost ground.

Near the 1000m Regal Castanea (App M. Hellyer) had to be eased to avoid the heels of Sam's Express (B. Stewart), which shifted in when not quite clear. B. Stewart the rider of Sam's Express was advised to show greater care when shifting ground in future.

Regal Castanea over-raced in the middle stages of the event.

Pyramids (J. Byrne) was held up and unable to obtain clear running in the early stages of the straight.

Joint Chiefs (M. Cahill) was also held up on entering the straight and unable to improve until after passing the 200m.

Near the 100m Joint Chiefs, when shifting out to improve, brushed Regal Castanea.

Sam's Express and Regal Castanea both raced wide for the majority of the event.

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