CAUL SEPT 18 - DIVORCES GETS THAT ELUSIVE WIN

By Taron Clarke | Sunday, September 19, 2010

Caulfield, September 18, 2010.
Track - Good 3. Rail - True. Penetrometer 5.04.
Thousand Guineas Prelude 3YO Fillies SW+P (Group 3) - 1400m.
Time: 1-24.26. 600m Sectional: 34.65. (Carrying 54kg).
1 Divorces; 2 Sistine Angel; 3 Panipique.
Margins: 0.4L x 1.3L.

Peter Snowden’s super consistent filly Divorces managed to finally break her maiden status after an impressive victory in the Group Three Thousand Guineas Prelude over 1400 metres.

The deserved win came after placing’s in the Champagne Stakes behind stablemate Skilled and a first-up runner-up in the Furious Stakes behind More Strawberries, who has since franked the form.

Jumping well from her wide barrier of eleven, rider Mark Zahra allowed the filly by Domesday to settle midfield three wide with cover in the early stages of the event.

In the early stages there was no definitive leader and the pace was farcical. Peter Moody’s galloper Panipique under Craig Newitt surged to the lead inside the 1000 metres after being caught wide early.

The favourite for the event was the Queensland filly Ringa Ringa Rosie for the old firm of Bevan Laming and Chris Munce. The giant filly by Bradbury’s Luck settled in third last position ten lengths off the leader as the field raced down the side of the track.

The field of fourteen fillies wheeled for home and after a very slow tempo it was clear that the race had developed into a sit and sprint.

Panipique railed through to hold a length margin over Koala Bear and out wide on the track was Divorces charging home with her run. Ringa Ringa Rosie was still last in the event at the furlong and spotted the leaders and impossible start.

Divorces with an impressive turn of foot raced up to claim Panipique and strike the front at the clock tower with Sistine Angel flashing along the fence posing a possible danger but, over the final 50 metres, Divorces had the momentum and held a longneck margin over Sistine Angel at the line with a further length and a quarter back to early pacemaker Panipique in third.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Paul Snowden (spokesman for trainer Peter Snowden): “She did a really good job. They sort of dawdled mid race. She was three deep with cover.

“She was still on the chewy a little bit mid-race and Mark (Zahra) never panicked and she put herself in the race at the right time and finished off well.

“This is one Dad’s been more excited about … her and Parables. There’s not much between them, but hopefully this filly can stretch out to a little bit further.

“The racing will tell us where we are going with her, but the Thousand Guineas looks ideal.

“She has got a long way to go in herself. She doesn’t look quite right in the coat and she’s only been down here a short time and she has settled in extremely well so it looks very good for her.”

Jockey Mark Zahra: “ I’ve done most of her work since she has been down here and she has sort of given me the feel of an Oaks filly.

“She is quite dumb and looks around, but geez that was a superior turn of foot today. That was really nice.

“I was wide but I had cover and it was probably the best spot to be because I had an uninterrupted run into it and she put paid to them down there inside the three hundred. It was a good win.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Divorces): 4.60 out to 6.00.
Favourite (Ringa Ringa Rosie): 4.00 out to 4.40 into 4.00. Finished eleventh.

Horse to follow: With only a slow pace in the race, the back markers had no hope. Sistine Angel found the line well, however the winner Divorces had to sustain a tougher run three wide throughout. Yosei made excellent late ground and looks primed to peak for the Thousand Guineas at Caulfield on October 13.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Near the 1200m, Lorna’s Lass had to be eased when tightened for room by Marvellous Miss, which was taken in by Willow Creek (L Nolen). The incident was compounded when Divorces shifted in and raced tight outside of Willow Creek.

L Nolen was issued with a severe reprimand and notified to exercise more care in future.

In the early and middle stages, Koala Bear got its head up when being restrained.

Barangaroo raced wide without cover.

Rounding the home turn, Shamrocker (NZ) was held up for clear running.

Also rounding the home turn, Sistine Angel was unable to improve its position when held up behind Sheila’s Star before gaining clear running inside the 300m.

Rounding the home turn, Yosei shifted out abruptly to obtain clear running and in doing so, forced Ringa Ringa Rosie much wider on the track.

Rounding the home turn and in the early part of the straight, Lorna’s Lass had difficulty in obtaining clear running until inside the 300m.

Passing the 100m, Speed Of Dark had to be steadied to avoid the heels of Divorces, which shifted in when not fully clear.

Approaching the winning post, Speed Of Dark shifted out under pressure, tightening the running of Shamrocker (NZ). Shamrocker (NZ) did shift out and brush the hindquarters of Pinker Pinker.