MV SEPT 24 - SHRAPNEL TOO SHARP

By Taron Clarke | Sunday, September 26, 2010

Moonee Valley, September 24, 2010.
Track - Good 3. Rail - Out 3m. Penetrometer 4.63.
3YO C+G’s SW+P - 1200m.
Time: 1-10.76. 600m Sectional: 35.33. (Carrying 56.5kg).
1 Shrapnel; 2 Turiff; 3 Territory.
Margins: 0.75L x 0.75L.

Mark Kavanagh’s promising colt Shrapnel, bounced back to the winners circle in the opening event of the Moonee Valley night racing season on Friday evening.

The well-bred son of Charge Forward out of the Snippets mare Fragmentation was purchased by Blue Sky Thoroughbreds for $450,000 at the 2009 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale.

Already the winner of the Group 3 Marsh Breeders Stakes at Morphettville in February, Shrapnel resumed this campaign with a solid fifth placing behind Toorak Toff on an unsuitable slow surface at Caulfield in the Vain Stakes.

The Kavanagh trained galloper was sent out a pronounced favourite for the event and punters never had any reason for concern.

Stable rider Michael Rodd bounced the hotpot out from barrier four and duo landed in a lovely trailing position fifth, four lengths off the leader Spirit Cent.

Lee Freedman’s runner in the race Territory was getting an equally good run in the race in third place on the fence tracking the leader for jockey Craig Newitt.

The tempo of the race was genuine and this allowed Rodd to bring his mount out three and four deep as the field made the home turn.

Shrapnel raced up to clearly hit the front rounding the final turn. While the favourite was out in open galloping room gathering momentum, Territory was bailed up on the running rail as the early leader Spirit Cent fell straight back into his lap.

In the early part of the short run home, Shrapnel, out five horses off the fence, held a half-length margin over Turiff who had weaved a path through the pack for jockey Linda Meech.

Rodd kept Shrapnel going over the concluding stages off the event to hold off a gallant challenge from Turiff by three quarters of a length with the unlucky Territory, who only saw daylight the last 150 metres, flashing home to grab third placing a length and half from the winner.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Mark Kavanagh: “He will be kept as a sprinter this preparation.

"We will probably only give him one or two more starts and then give him a spell for an autumn carnival preparation."

Jockey Michael Rodd: “The track was too wet first up in the Vain and Kav really had to hold him back for tonight's race.

"He is a very inexperienced colt and when he got to the front tonight he didn't know what to do so I predict a lot of positives to come.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Shrapnel): 2.10 out to 2.50.
The winner was the favourite.

Horse to follow: The Freedman trained galloper Territory was desperately unlucky. After receiving a beautiful run in transit, luck deserted the Lonhro colt and he was held up for clear running until the final 150 metres of the event.

Going forward the Darley owned galloper looks to be well suited in a race such as the Carbine Club Stakes on Derby Day.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Turiff was slow to begin.

Shadows In The Sun shifted out abruptly on jumping away.

Magnificent Force, which was slow to begin, was then hampered between In Faith and Protector both of which shifted ground. In the incident Protector was also taken out by Royal Action.

After passing the 400m Territory was unable to improve its position when held up for clear running until after passing the 200m.

Territory which shifted out on straightening to gain clear running inconvenienced In Faith.

Shadows In the Sun was held up after passing the 400m and gained clear running on straightening near the 200m.

C Williams (Spirit Cent) was of the opinion that the colt failed to handle the early pressure and did not run out the 1200m of today’s event and was of the view that it may not have been suited by the firmer track.

A post-race veterinary examination of Spirit Cent revealed no abnormalities.

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