FLEM OCT 03 - BEGG AND DUNN COMBINE WITH PALICIO DE CRISTAL

By Taron Clarke | Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Flemington, October 3, 2010.
Track - Dead 4. Rail - Out 9m. Penetrometer 4.77.
Blazer Stakes (Group 2) 4YO+ Mares SW+P - 1400m.
Time: 1-23.97. 600m Sectional: 34.96. (Carrying 55.5kg).
1 Palacio De Cristal; 2 No Evidence Needed; 3 Strawberry Field.
Margins: 0.2L x 1.0L.

Randwick based trainer Grahame Begg continued his winning association with jockey Dwayne Dunn when the pair combined to land the Group 2 Blazer Stakes over 1400 metres at Flemington on Sunday.

Dunn and Begg’s association goes back to 2008 when the pair scored a Group 1 win with sprinter All Silent in the Emirate Stakes over 1600 metres.

Dunn, who had previously scored aboard the five year old daughter of Encosta De Lago during the 2008 Melbourne Cup Carnival, produced a gem of a ride to get the spoils.

The chestnut mare was resuming from a four month spell after finishing down the track in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes behind Road to Rock over the Randwick autumn carnival.

Jumping away slowly at barrier rise didn’t affect the mares chances as Dunn didn’t panic and let the Gerry Harvey owned mare find her feet in the second half of the field.

The early pace was set by Group 1 winning mare Irish Lights. Taken to the front shortly after settling into stride, jockey Steven Arnold sent the daughter of Fastnet Rock along at a solid clip ensuring the field was spread out over plenty of ground.

No Evidence Needed settled in the box set tracking the early leader for jockey James Winks. The consistent mare was sent out equal favourite with Palacio De Cristal in a wide open betting market.

The large field of mares made the swing for home and with the entire field steering a deliberate course five horses off the fence this allowed plenty of room along the inside of runners for the backmarkers to come with a run.

Palacio De Cristal balanced up five lengths off the leader Irish Lights. Co-favourite No Evidence Needed was brought to the outside of the leaders by Winks to come with her run.

At the 300 metre mark Palacio De Cristal despite clearly wanting to lay in and roll back to the running rail struck the front with No Evidence Needed, wide out on the track, and the dual favourites raced clear of the pack.

Despite the fact the two mares were six horses apart, this didn’t stop them going stride for stride over the final 200 metre mark.

In a stirring final furlong the race could have gone either way.

Dunn was able to extricate enough out of Palacio De Cristal however, to hold a short neck margin over the ever consistent No Evidence Needed with Sydney visitor Strawberry Field finishing a length further astern.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Grahame Begg: “He (Dunn) has taken all the short-cuts and cut the corner.

“She did hit the front pretty early in the straight and fought on very well.

“Her main mission is the Myer Classic here on Derby Day and she’s here for business. It was very important that she get her spring campaign off on the right foot and she’s certainly done that.

“She is Group One placed and was very suited back to mares company at set weights and penalties today. And it was a great ride.”

Jockey Dwayne Dunn: “I was lucky enough to ride her here over the Carnival last year and she went on to bigger and better things and she’s done a great job today.

“Probably her biggest fault is that she wants to bomb the start and show no real speed.

“Everyone wanted to get out to the centre. She showed me last time that she wanted to lug back to the rail, so I was happy enough to be there.

“The Myer Classic will be her grand final and hopefully she can go on and win that for Grahame.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Palacio De Cristal): 4.80 out to 5.00. Equal favourite.
Equal Favourite No Evidence Needed 4.60 out to 5.00. Finished second.

Horse to Follow: Palacio De Cristal is already a placegetter at the highest level in this year’s Group 1 Coolmore Classic over 1500 metres and the Grahame Begg trained mare should continue to acquit herself well in the major mares races as the spring progresses.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Prior to the commencement of the meeting trainer Mr J McArdle advised Stewards that Absolute Faith would be ridden more positive today if circumstances permit and an announcement was made.

Palacio De Cristal was slow to begin.

Casual Friday and Irish Lights both shifted ground near the 1300m and bumped resulting in Casual Friday then shifting out making heavy contact to the hindquarters of Culminate (NZ).

Rounding the home turn near the 1600m Strawberry Field was held up for clear running until after passing the 400m.

Marheta raced wide without cover.

Palacio De Cristal lost its off-fore plate during the running of the race.

M Zahra could offer no explanation for the performance of Dysphonia today.

M Zahra (Dysphonia) was issued with a reprimand for failing to weigh in after the race.

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