FLEM OCT 03 - ECLAIR SURPRISE OUT TO EMULATE SIRE

By Taron Clarke | Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Flemington, October 3, 2010.
Track - Dead 4. Rail - Out 9m. Penetrometer 4.77.
Super Impose Stakes (Listed) 3YO SW+P - 1800m.
Time: 1-50.83. 600m Sectional: 35.27. (Carrying 55kg).
1 Eclair Surprise; 2 Almindoro; 3 Shadowofexcellence.
Margins: 0.4L x 0.2L.

Victoria’s premier trainer Peter Moody continues to unveil potential VRC Derby contenders and Sunday was no different with Eclair Surprise staking his claim for the feature three-year-old staying event of the spring.

Moody won his first Group 1 way back in 2001 with Amalfi when he was partnered by champion hoop Damien Oliver in the Derby.

The Caulfield mentor will plot a similar path with the son of 1999 VRC Derby winner Blackfriars.

With only two career starts under his belt, Eclair Surprise was sent out at double figure odds after firming two points late in betting.

Ridden by stable jockey Luke Nolen, Eclair Surprise started from barrier eight in the field of thirteen.

The short-priced favourite for the event was the regally bred Altius for Tony Vasil and Damien Oliver and the pair were well supported late in betting.

Eclair Surprise and Nolen were last out of the machines when the starter said go and the duo settled at the rear of the field.

Shortly after the start, a series of events led to the pair clipping the heels of Shylight.

As a result of the interference caused, Sydney jockey Corey Brown was suspended for a total of eight meetings to expire midnight on October 18. (See Stewards Report Extract).

Patinack Farm galloper From London was sent straight to the front for jockey Craig Newitt shortly after the start and the pair settled a half-length in front of Almindoro who was partnered by Blake Shinn.

Short priced favourite Altius as was his normal pattern, settled well back in the field, some ten lengths off the leader.

At the top turn of the track the Tracey Templeton trained Luckyi’mbarefoot raced up to sit outside the leader after being caught mid field and wide. This lightning move by jockey Dean Holland momentarily put some speed into the event.

Down the side of the track and approaching the 600 metres Eclair Surprise and Luke Nolen were in last position, fifteen lengths off the top and three lengths behind the red hot favourite Altius.

Rounding the turn and in the early part of the straight the punters elect was revved up and ridden hard by Damien Oliver. However the well bred colt was not responding.

Whilst Altius was well back in the ruck and making heavy weather of it, Eclair Surprise was brought across the favourite’s heels by Nolen in an attempt to find clear galloping room.

Lee Freedman’s filly Zubbaya hit the front inside the 200 metre mark with a wall of runners chasing including Almindoro, Shadowofexcellence and diving through between runners was Eclair Surprise.

Nolen drove the son of Blackfriars through a narrow run 100 metres out and the bay colt dived through to poke his nose in front of Almindoro and Shadowofexcellence on his outside.

In a driving three way finish to the line Eclair Surprise held a long neck margin over outsider Almindoro and a short neck to Shadowofexcellence in third placing.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Peter Moody: “He’s just a bit of a dope. He’s still learning.

“The blinkers were meant to help him travel maybe midfield or thereabouts, but he walked out of the gates and then got on one’s heels fifty yards out, so it adds to the merit of the win.

“He’s always shown ability at home. He’s by a Derby winner in Blackfriars, so that always indicated that he was going to run a trip.

“He’ll run over 2000 metres at Caulfield then back here for the Derby.”

Jockey Luke Nolen: “He’s a little bit backward in the mind and physically he’s not quite there yet.

“The way he won just then, it was pretty emphatic, I felt.

“He nearly got tipped over at the start and he followed the right horses into it and has given them a beating. So he ticks all the boxes if he does make it to the Derby.

“The horse has a ton of upside. The only thing against him now is maturity - physically and mentally.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Eclair Surprise): 13.00 out to 14.00 into 12.00.
Favourite (Altius): 1.85 out to 2.20 into 2.10. Finished fifth
.
Horse to Follow: The winner came from last and weaved a run through the pack to score running away at the end. Makybe Diva’s half-brother Shadowofexcellence did a fantastic job at only his second racetrack start.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
C Brown rider of Muirfield (NZ) pleaded guilty to a charge of careless riding under the provisions of AR137a, the careless riding being that near the 1700m he permitted his mount to shift in when not sufficiently clear of Mukarrar which in turn made contact with the hindquarters of Shylight causing Shylight to shift in onto Eclair Surprise causing Eclair Surprise to clip heels and blunder.

C Brown had his licence to ride in races suspended for a period to commence at midnight October 10 and to expire at midnight October 18, a total of eight race meetings (2 city, six country).

In assessing penalty Stewards took into account C Brown’s guilty plea, his good record and that the careless riding was in the mid-range category (Spring Carnival).

Passing the 1000m Muirfield (NZ) had to be restrained off the heels of Mackadoo and shifted out.

Muirfield (NZ), which was making ground, had a tendency to lay in in the straight.

Near the 300m Almindoro shifted out under pressure and in doing so inconvenienced Shadowofexcellence.

Inside the 200m Almindoro again shifted ground and hampered Eclair Surprise.

A post-race veterinary examination of Mukarrar revealed no abnormalities.

A post-race veterinary examination of Altius revealed the colt to making an abnormal respiratory noise and a swab sample was taken for analysis.

Assistant trainer Mr T Pennuto representing trainer Mr A Vasil advised that they planned to press on to the Norman Robinson and the colt would be re-assessed after that time.

It was recommended to the stable that an endoscopic examination be performed after exercise and a written report be submitted to the RVL veterinary department.

Mr M Baker co-trainer of Mackadoo (NZ) could not give any explanation for the colt’s disappointing performance today and reassured the Stewards that Mackadoo (NZ) had a perfect preparation leading up to today’s race and was confident that the horse, given its breeding, would run out the 1800m of today’s event.

Mr M Baker added that it was his intention to press on with Mackadoo (NZ) in the Norman Robinson at Caulfield and undertook to notify Stewards should anything come to light to explain the performance today.

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