EF SEPT 04 - CAT EYES SPARKLES IN HARD FOUGHT FINISH

By Graham Potter | Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Eagle Farm, September 4, 2010.
Track - Good 3. Rail - True.
Class 6 Handicap (C, G & E) - 1000m.
Time: 56.89. Last 600m: 33.92. (Carrying 55.5kg).
1 Cat Eyes; 2 Sequalo Morn; 3 Huckleberry Dane.

The ever-consistent Cat Eyes raised his game at Eagle Farm on Saturday to claim a fighting victory second-up to secure the sixth win of his career.

Cat Eyes has lacked the winning edge on occasions, but he almost always puts himself in the finish. He returned to action last time at the long odds of 16-1 and only went down by a short-neck to the more-than-useful Favelina over 1010m at Doomben.

That result put the writing on the wall for a bold showing here. The complication was that Cat Eyes had to jump from the worst of the draw. Balancing that was the fact that trainer Kelso Wood put the reins in the hands of the claiming stable apprentice Michael Hellyer, who gave Cat Eyes 2kg’s relief at the weights.

The speed was on from the start as Sequalo Morn and Tamose set a lively early target racing some four lengths clear of Guru and Cat Eyes, who had shown fair gate speed before settling well in fourth spot.

Sequalo Morn started to edge away from Tamose early in the straight. The latter kicked on but was struggling to make up the ground he had lost while, in behind that, Hellyer was trying to keep Guru in a pocket behind the leaders as both of these chasers started to up the tempo.

By the 200m Guru had bullied his way into out, but he had no momentum. That belonged to Cat Eyes who was now in full cry after the two leaders. Huckleberry Dane was the other runner making rapid leeway out wider on the track.

Tamose and Guru were both beaten inside the final 150m and, with Huckleberry Dane unable to do anything more, it became a race in two as Cat Eyes ranged up to join Sequalo Morn in a spirited, stride for stride duel to the line.

As game as Sequalo Morn was, particularly after his sterling, energy sapping effort early in the race, it was Cat Eyes who found that vital extra ingredient in the finish to finally turn a run full of merit into a winning performance.

The margin in favour of Cat Eyes on the line was a short-half-head.

Cat Eyes is now a six-time winner (with eleven minor placings) from thirty-one starts.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Kelso Wood: “He’s racing better this preparation than he was last time.

“We haven’t changed anything around at all. He just likes to be fresh. He is a good Saturday horse and the boy (Michael Hellyer) rode him very well.”

Jockey Michael Hellyer: “Kama is a bitch isn’t it. The other day Jason (Taylor) got me on the line at the Sunny coast. I thought I’d held on but he got me. Today it was the other way around and I got the bikkies today.

“We had a wide barrier, but there is only one turn here. The horses work has been enormous and I just knew he would keep fighting on.

“When I was able to get into the one-off position, I knew I was going to be right on the money here. He was going enormous at the turn and he dug deep.

“I always thought I was going to get him (Sequalo Morn). I don’t know if my horse is just real cunning … because he is a cunning bugger. He is a horse that is better ridden behind them because, if he does go forward to the lead, he sort of waits for them.

“I learnt that the first time I rode him. He just waits and waits and waits. So, if you ride him in behind, he is a better chaser.

“I thought I was going to go straight past Jason (Taylor, aboard Sequalo Morn) to be honest. Like I say, I don’t know if it was just him (Cat Eyes) being cunning … but I got the bikkies anyway.

“I’d ridden the horse before in his last prep … never won on him before this though. I ridden him twice before and I think I run second on him two times. Just kept getting beaten on him.

“He’s very consistent. He’s always been an absolute treat, especially leading up to this run. After that first run (when resuming last time after nearly a five month break) where he hit the line real good, he’s just come on a bit.

“There’s no one who gets them better than Kelso (Wood). That’s why I’m just so lucky to be apprenticed with him, because every horse you get on, no matter if it is 20-1 or favourite, you know it is going to run a hell of a race. You know, Kelso brings the best out of them all.

“Yeah, I’m going alright. I had a manager before and it didn’t work out. I know what rides I want and I’m not tied down to somebody else chasing my rides.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Cat Eyes): 5.50 in to 4.60 out to 5.00.
Favourite (Tamose): 4.00 out to 4.80 in to 3.90. Finished seventh.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Rattle ‘N' Run was declared a late scratching at 1.20 p.m. by order of stewards acting on veterinary advice when it was established that the gelding had sustained a laceration to its near-hind leg when being transported en-route to the track.

Correct weight was delayed to allow stewards to ascertain whether Well Satisfied was afforded a fair start. After taking evidence from rider R. McMahon, stable foreman T. Edmonds and official starter S. Ehlers and viewing the patrol films stewards were of the view that Well Satisfied had reared as the start was effected whilst the horse was being attended by a barrier attendant.

Stewards acting under the provisions of AR134A were satisfied that Well Satisfied was afforded a fair start and therefore correct weight was declared as semaphored.

Stable foreman T. Edmonds was advised that as a result of Well Satisfied losing considerable ground at the start the gelding must now trial to the satisfaction of stewards prior to being permitted to race again.

Reizarb (J. Byrne) was slow to begin.

After passing the 300m Guru (R. Wiggins) and Cat Eyes (App M. Hellyer) brushed on a number of occasions.

Near the 150m Cat Eyes shifted in under pressure resulting in Guru being taken in onto Tamose (C. Munce), which was weakening and became unbalanced. App M. Hellyer the rider of Cat Eyes was advised to stop riding and straighten his mounts sooner than he did on this occasion.

Hashasan (App J. Wood) raced three wide for the majority of the event.

C. Munce the rider of Tamose, which performed below expectations, explained that the gelding travelled well until placed under pressure after passing the 300m and failed to respond to his riding from that point. C. Munce added that Tamose did not feel comfortable in its action over the final 100m.

A post race veterinary examination of Tamose revealed the gelding to be lame in the near-hind leg and had pulled a near-hind shoe during the event. Trainer M. Palmer was advised that a veterinary certificate of fitness must be produced prior to Tamose again racing. A routine swab sample was taken.

More articles