MV SEPT 11 - WHOBEGOTYOU SCORES A RESOUNDING VICTORY

By Taron Clarke | Sunday, September 12, 2010

Moonee Valley, September 11, 2010.
Track - Slow 6. Rail - True. Penetrometer 5.02.
Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes (Group Two) Weight for Age - 1600m.
Time: 1-39.67. 600m Sectional: 35.51. (Carrying 59kg).
1Whobegotyou; 2 Typhoon Tracy; 3 Shoot Out.
Margins: 2.0L x 1.0L.

Whobegotyou continued his love affair with Moonee Valley notching up back to back victories in the Group Two Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes over 1600 metres.

In six starts at the Strath Ayr circuit, Whobegotyou’s only defeat was when he was a beaten favourite in the 2009 Group One Cox Plate.

After a dominant victory on Saturday, Whobegotyou has soared to the top of the markets for this year’s Cox Plate to be run on October 23.

In a major surprise preceding the race, Caulfield trainer Peter Moody informed stewards that Australian Horse of the Year Typhoon Tracy would be ridden off the speed. In a race devoid of any major pace, punters had assumed Typhoon Tracy would roll to the front unchallenged and be extremely hard to run down. But it wasn’t to be with the mare settling midfield.

The field jumped as one with Hissing Sid sent to the early lead over Precedence. Favourite Shoot Out travelled third on the fence and Typhoon Tracy sat in fifth position, five lengths off the lead.

Whobegotyou, despite the tactical nature of the event settled in his regular racing pattern towards the rear of the field.

The field balanced up down the side of the track and inside the 800 metres Zipping popped out three wide and peeling off his back and coming with her run four wide was Typhoon Tracy.

Michael Rodd and Whobegotyou decided to come five wide with their run as the bunched field approached the home turn.

With only five lengths first to last, any of the eight runners could win the Group Two feature. Queensland visitor Shoot Out who was trailing the leader Hissing Sid was now held up for a run behind the leading trio as the field dashed for home.

A long searching run from the rear of the field saw Whobegotyou race up five wide to strike the front over Typhoon Tracy and Precedence. Shoot Out had managed to secure a run one off the fence and was being asked for his effort.

But the track specialist Whobegotyou had surged to a decisive lead at the furlong marker and under hands and heals riding from Michael Rodd, the Street Cry gelding surged away for a very impressive victory over Typhoon Tracy by two lengths and a further length back to Shoot Out in third.

Whobegotyou looks clearly on target to avenge his defeat in last year’s Cox Plate. The horse appears to have returned in career best form this campaign on the back of a light Winter Carnival in Brisbane which he started in the Doomben 10,000 and the Stradbroke Handicap.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Mark Kavanagh: “He likes this track doesn’t he? He just excels at this track.

“He is a better horse this year. I am pretty happy with him, he has still got a bit of improvement in him too.

“That’s the only time he has ever been beat here (in last year’s Cox Plate) so there is some unfinished business.

“He is a good, tough gelding. He is on his favourite track and there are not many horses when he is on song that can beat him around here.

Owner Lawrence Eales: It is fantastic and it was such an impressive win too.

“He will probably go in to favouritism now I suppose (for the Cox Plate) and Shocking’s favourite for the Melbourne Cup.

“I am very, very happy with what happened today. He’s a good horse!”

Jockey Michael Rodd: “I was speaking to Mark and Merv Harvey (about the news that Typhoon Tracy would be ridden off the speed). We were just chatting about it. Merv just said ‘Listen, we know he is good around here. He’s got a good turn of foot. Don’t over analyse it … just get on with it’ and that’s pretty much how I played it.

“I just got behind the gates there. I wasn’t sure how much to believe of it was true, but it was alright. The tempo was good with Hissing Sid rolling up there and a few horses ridden upside down … but the main thing is saving him for that good turn of foot, and that’s what he’s got.

“I didn’t think he would come out and want to go like that. Normally he is very lazy, but he was really switched on today and he got out there and really pulled his way up. We were all looking for Shoot Out making sure he wasn’t coming out.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Whobegotyou): 3.00 in to 2.70 out to 3.10.
Favourite (Shoot Out): 2.50 out to 3.10 in to 2.70. Finished third.

Horse to follow: It is hard not to be impressed with the fashion in which Whobegotyou disposed of Typhoon Tracy and Shoot Out. Whobegotyou is clearly on track for the Cox Plate in five weeks’ time. Shoot Out appears to be racing more and more like a mile and a half horse and don’t be surprised to see trainer John Wallace look towards a Caulfield Cup start for the Gold Coast gelding.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Prior to the running of Race 6, Mr P. Moody, trainer of Typhoon Tracy, notified the Stewards that it was the stable’s intention to attempt to ride the mare off the speed today if circumstances permit. Typhoon Tracy settled midfield.

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