CAUL OCT 13 - OWNERS PULL THE RIGHT REIN AS ROYAL COMMANDS SCORES BLACK TYPE WIN

By Taron CLarke | Friday, October 15, 2010

Caulfield, October 13, 2010.
Track - Slow 7. Rail - True. Penetrometer 5.51.
Carsales.com.au Classic (Listed) 4YO Mares SW+P - 1600m.
Time: 1-40.69. 600m Sectional: 38.30. (Carrying 53kg).
1 Royal Commands; 2 Our Tigress; 3 Lady Lynette.
Margins: 0.4L x 1.3L.

A wise decision by owners Barrie and Midge Griffiths ensured Royal Commands added some valuable Black Type to her resume when she took out the Listed carsales.com.au Classic over 1600 metres.

After two dismal failures on rain affected ground at her most recent starts, Royal Commands was sent out a punters villain, but a bookies friend at $51 in betting operations.

Co-trainer Matthew Ellerton admitted to having no confidence in the mare on rain affected going after scratching the daughter of Commands from the wet track at Wangaratta last Thursday.

The training partnership of Ellerton and his cousin Simon Zahra, added blinkers to Royal Commands and this may have been the telling blow.

Away awkwardly when the starter said go, Royal Commands and Dwayne Dunn settled down in third last on the fence, some six lengths off the leading trio who were Our Tigress, Select and Platinum Passion who was three wide.

The pace steadied inside the 1200 metres and Michelle Payne allowed her mount Select to race to a clear two length lead.

Favourite of the event was last year’s winner of the race, Lady Lynette. Nick Hall took the mount and the pair settled down in a lovely trailing position fourth, one off the fence four lengths off the lead and punters were on good terms with themselves.

The pace was only moderate as the field approached the home turn. Select travelled strongly in front with Our Tigress tracking through on her back and posing a threat.

Back in the field Royal Commands was saving ground along the inside of runners as the majority of the field came off the bit.

In the early part of the straight Our Tigress raced through to poke her nose in front and out wide on the track was the favourite Lady Lynette who was chiming in with her run.

Dwayne Dunn had brought Royal Commands away from the fence and was looking for a run to the outside of the favourite’s heels at the furlong pole.

Dunn reefed the goggles from his face as he asked the Flemington trained mare to let down in the gloomy conditions.

Our Tigress shook off Lady Lynette at the 100 metre mark and was clear by a length.

Royal Commands and Dunn were making solid ground in what was a grinding finish.

Royal Commands responded to the hard riding of Dunn and grabbed Our Tigress in the shadows of the post to score a narrow victory over Our Tigress.

The favourite Lady Lynette had to settle for third place.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Co-Trainer Matthew Ellerton: “I think the blinkers helped, but in saying that I probably have to thank Barrie (Griffiths) because I wasn't too keen on running today, but it was probably not a great standard of mares race and she gets Black Type now.

“It wasn't the greatest mares' stakes race. It was good and the blinkers did the trick the last bit.

“The blinkers are probably something we've been waiting to try.

"On face value she was quite disappointing at Sandown (last start) and she was in at Wangaratta last week and we scratched her off a slow to heavy track there.

“Oh well, we got the chocolates today!”

Jockey Dwayne Dunn: “One of the barrier attendants who was loading her said ‘here's Mannerism’ (the 1992 Caulfield Cup winner who raced in the same colours). That's going back a while.

“She's done a good job today, travelled well in the run and got through the going really well.

“She certainly did attack the line. Matty (Ellerton) was disappointed with the way she ran last start and the foreman said she's more of a run-on sprinter … so blinkers on, out to the mile is always a question mark.

“She bombed the start, but that probably gave me a good run in transit.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Royal Commands): 31.00 out to 51.00.
Favourite (Lady Lynette): 3.20 out to 3.60. Finished third.

Horse to follow: Big query over the form out of this race. Favourite Lady Lynette settled in a lovely spot but could finish off.

Our Tigress loomed as the winner inside the furlong and was overhauled late. She is eligible for easier races and will acquit herself well back in grade.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Royal Commands, which was restless in the barriers, jumped awkwardly and lost ground.

Rounding the home turn Platinum Passion was momentarily tightened for room between Lady Lynette and Our Tigress which shifted out.

J Winks rider of Jolie Brise reported at scale that the mare has an awkward action but was under pressure from the 700m.

A subsequent veterinary examination of Jolie Brise revealed no abnormalities other than a slower than normal recovery rate.

When questioned, trainer Mr M Ellerton advised that he was disappointed with Royal Commands’s last start at Sandown on September 22 and he believed the addition of blinkers today may have helped the mare’s chances.

The track was downgraded from Slow 7 to Heavy 8 at 4.28pm after the running of this race.

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