DOOM SEPT 25 - TWO OUT OF TWO FOR HAVATRYST

By Graham Potter | Monday, September 27, 2010

Doomben, September 25, 2010.
Track - Slow 7. Rail - out 5m. Penetrometer: 5.20.
QTIS 3yo Handicap - 1200m.
Time: 1-10.85. Last 600m: 35.87. (Carrying 54kg).
1 Havatryst; 2 Wonderful Lass; 3 Sky Effort.
Margins: Short-half-head; 0.75L

The Barry Baldwin trained Havatryst underlined his potential when he made it two wins from two starts when scoring in fine style at Doomben on Saturday.

The three-year-old had pole-axed his opposition on debut where his Maiden win came in every bit as emphatic a fashion as the six length winning margin suggested. This time his superior cruising speed again had his rivals chasing and, although Wonderful Lass did close ground late to get within a short-half-head of the winner, this victory was every bit as impressive as the gelding’s opening sortie.

The extreme outside draw loomed as a complicating factor for Havatryst and, when a hectic chase for the early lead came into play, that situation meant that Havatryst had to do plenty of work to assume the front-running role that jockey Chris Munce was looking for.

While urging his mount along employing its natural speed, it still took Munce all of 300m to cross the speedy duo of Norocos and Miss Imagica, who likewise had vied for the early front-running role.

Once he had established himself at the head of affairs, Havatryst maintained a resolute gallop a couple of lengths ahead of Norocos and Miss Imagica … and that is how the leading trio went to the home turn. Marking Time was next best, a further length and a half back, while the balance of the field were out of their ground with most of them under pressure. At that stage Wonderful Lass was in ninth place all of eight to nine lengths off the strong-running leader.

Havatryst kept finding in the home straight as he held the persistent challenge of Miss Imagica at bay. The latter was fighting on bravely enough, but was failing to find the extra required to reel in her rival. Norocos was gone inside the final 150m, but a new threat had emerged to Havatryst in the form of Wonderful Lass and Sky Effort who were both running on from behind.

Wonderful Lass hit the line best of all but was still behind Havatryst (albeit only narrowly) as the winner flashed past the post to land a hard-earned win.

Wonderful Lass thus had to settle for second place. Sky Effort finished third as the swoopers relegated Miss Imagica back to fourth spot.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Barry Baldwin: “There were a few things to worry about … the step up in class, the wet track and the bad barrier.

“We had to ride him a bit upside down. One day we’ll try and let him settle down a bit early, but we couldn’t from that barrier. Naturally he just might settle. He’s had two bad outside barriers both times and so unfortunately we’ve just been forced to ride him that way.

“We’ve been making him go forward and I don’t know that is the way to go.

“Chris (Munce) said he hanging and doing everything wrong.”

“If he gets a good barrier one day we’ll just come out and let him settle … and that might be the only reason why we might give him one more start this time in, just to try and ride him quietly and give him more education.

Jockey Chris Munce: “I just said to Barry (Baldwin) there, he didn’t go a yard in the track and was still able to hold them off.

“He is such as big strider. He was all lost at sea.

“He had to do a fair bit of work. He’s got good natural ability.

“Look, I think he is an exciting horse. I think he has got good potential.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Havatryst): 4.00 out to 4.40 in to 3.10.
The winner was the favourite.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Stewards acceded to a request by trainer R. Heathcote to scratch High Chancellor following the track downgrade to Slow 7 and accordingly the gelding was declared a late scratching at 2.27 p.m. Stewards advised Mr Heathcote that High Chancellor would now incur a slow track bar.

Waranga (S. Seamer) was slow to begin.

Danewin Girl (S. Bogenhuber) commenced to hang out leaving the 700m and took no further competitive part in the event. Trainer R. Ludwig was advised that the horse must trial to the satisfaction of stewards before being permitted to race again.

Miss Imagica (N. Yamada) and Sky Effort (P. Hammersley) raced wide throughout.

An inquiry into the reasons for Miss Imagica having to be checked approaching the finishing line was adjourned to enable N. Yamada, the rider of Miss Imagica, to fulfil his engagements at Toowoomba.

Stewards sought an explanation from G. Colless in regards to the seemingly disappointing performance of Marking Time.

G. Colless stated that the horse travelled well but was under pressure approaching the home turn and compounded in the straight despite his riding.

G. Colless added that the horse had not trialled prior to today's race and whilst the horse had worked well leading into the event, he felt the horse would take great benefit from its first-up performance.

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