MV OCT 23 - REKINDLED INTEREST LANDS ELUSIVE WIN IN AAMI VASE
By Taron Clarke | Monday, October 25, 2010
Moonee Valley, October 23, 2010.
Track - Dead 4. Rail - True. Penetrometer 4.61.
AAMI Vase (Group 2) 3YO SW - 2040m.
Time: 2-07.09. 600m Sectional: 36.70. (Carrying 57.0kg).
1 Rekindled Interest; 2 Lion Tamer; 3 Hollowlea.
Margins: 2.5L x 1.5L.
Lady luck finally shined upon the up and coming stayer Rekindled Interest at Moonee Valley on Saturday afternoon when the son of Redoute’s Choice finally broke through for a feature win after showing so much promise in recent starts.
Dwayne Dunn took over the ride from the luckless Craig Williams and the pair had instant success with an impressive victory over fellow VRC Derby contenders.
The feature win provided a confidence boost for Pinecliff Racing trainer Jim Conlan. After spending lengthy periods on the sidelines for rule breaches, Conlan can now focus on securing his first VRC Derby win with the three-year-old gelding.
Away well from the middle of the line, jockey Dwayne Dunn was kind on Rekindled Interest early as he attempted to find a trailing position behind the speed one off the fence.
Passing the post and leaving the straight the first time, five horses were sprawled across the track as they all vied for supremacy.
Tale of Thunder held the fence. On his outside pushing up was Glacier King, Lion Tamer, Smokin’ Joey and five wide caught on a limb was Quarterbar.
By the 1600 metre marker the field had found their positions and the kiwi Lion Tamer showed out by a length to Quarterbar who crossed down one off the fence to sit outside of Glacier King who retained the running rail.
Favourite Smokin’ Joey eased into the one out one back position for jockey Nash Rawiller.
Settling a touch better than midfield was Rekindled Interest. Dunn had not spent a penny on the gelding and the pair sat one off the fence, five lengths off the leader passing the 1000 metre marker.
The field of VRC Derby contenders raced down the side of the track and bunched considerably. Runs from the back markers came as the more prominent horses were flushed out to avoid traffic.
Favourite Smokin’ Joey was the first to push out three wide and the Freedman galloper surged up to take a slender lead over Lion Tamer who retained the fence.
Four wide on the track came Dunn and Rekindled Interest. As soon as Smokin’ Joey got to the front, two strides later he was gone and quickly fell back through the field. This allowed Rekindled Interest to cross down one off the fence rounding the turn.
Dunn gave the Conlan trained runner a couple of slaps behind the saddle with the whip and he raced up to join Lion Tamer who was fighting on courageously. This pair race three lengths in front of the remainder of the field which was headed by Hollowlea.
At the 100 metres Rekindled Interest drew to a clear lead as he got the better of Lion Tamer.
Dunn kept Rekindled Interest going over the concluding stages and the pair scored an emphatic two and a half length win over kiwi visitor Lion Tamer, with a length and a half back to Hollowlea in third.
WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Jim Conlan: “It's been quite frustrating. We've had bad barriers. He has been knocked over at the start. He just hasn't had the luck that he's needed.
“Today I said to Dwayne (Dunn), ‘just be positive, put him where he's comfortable and I'm sure he'll hit the line.’
“He's got a very stout pedigree on the mare's side.
“It (the Derby) is a week away and hopefully he does well this week. So long as he does this week we'll be there in the Derby.
“It was interesting, the last week he seems to have really just blossomed.
“He's had a really wonderful week this week … had a nice gallop on Tuesday at Mornington and from there you really saw the horse starting to hold his condition.
“He'll never be a big horse. He's 456 kilos today and hopefully he'll be that next week.
“He's got a decent heart and a good set of lungs.
“Jonathon Munz has just been terrific as far as I'm concerned. When I got suspended, he supported me right through that period.
“The day I got my licence back I had a job. I just can't speak highly enough about Jonathon. He's just been great for me.
“Pinecliff needed a headline horse, which this might be, and it's going along well at the moment.”
Jockey Dwayne Dunn: “I think I'm punching around as well as anyone at the moment and just found the right spot on him today and just got a beautiful run in transit.
“Obviously the horse probably hasn't had that much luck, you know, the way they've just been teaching him to try and stay and just find the line.
"Unfortunately last start he missed the start and just got squeeze out of it and probably took away from what he could do.
“There's been a lot of pressure on everyone. He's promised the world and probably delivered an atlas and for him to do that, I look forward to the Derby.
“I actually saw him a long time ago at the two-year-old jumpouts at Balnarring when I was with Lee Freedman.
“He beat us and beat us quite convincingly on one we thought went ok. I've always kept an eye on him and always liked to be associated with him whenever I could and I haven't been able to get onto him until today which is probably the right time.
“I think he'll back up. Obviously he's had runs and missed and, you know, it was his first time this trip today.
“He seems a nice relaxed horse and from a good barrier, he finds his own luck. I'm sure he's going to be hard to beat."
PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Rekindled Interest): 4.00 out to 5.50 into 5.00.
Favourite (Smokin’ Joey): 3.30 out to 3.40. Finished eleventh.
Horse to follow: Rekindled Interest settled in a handy position and was always going to be hard to beat in the run. A beautiful patient ride by Dwayne Dunn who is riding in rare form.
The son of Redoute’s Choice will definitely figure in the finish of the VRC Derby and heads the betting market jointly with Peter Snowden’s Retrieve.
STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Prior to the running of the race, trainer Mr J Thompson advised Stewards that Tale Of Thunder would be more forward today from its favourable barrier draw and an announcement was made. Tale Of Thunder was ridden accordingly.
Passing the 1600m Shootoff (NZ) shifted in and made contact with the running rail for a short distance.
Near the 1500m Precious Lorraine was checked severely when crowded for room between Tale Of Thunder, which shifted out, and Rekindled Interest which had shifted in after being bumped by Smokin’ Joey which shifted in momentarily.
Whilst the interference suffered to Precious Lorraine was severe the Stewards were of the view there were too many contributing factors to hold any one rider at fault.
Hollowlea over-raced in the middle stages.
Near the 600m Precious Lorraine was again checked when crowded for room by Shootoff (NZ) which shifted out and Shadows In The Sun which was taken in slightly by Kudakulari (NZ).
The Stewards again were of the view that whilst the interference to Precious Lorraine was significant there were too many contributing factors to hold any rider responsible for the incident.
Passing the 400m Shadows In The Sun had to be eased when starting to give ground between Hollowlea and Precious Lorraine both of which shifted slightly.
Precious Lorraine had difficulty obtaining clear running rounding the home turn.
N Rawiller (Smokin’ Joey) explained that his mount wanted to lay in for a major part of the race and did not feel right in itself. A subsequent veterinary examination after the race revealed no abnormalities.
Trainer Mr L Freedman advised Stewards that in his view Smokin’ Joey may have choked down and that he would experiment with a gear change in an effort to rectify the issue and that the stable planned to continue with Smokin’ Joey’s preparation towards the VRC Derby.
H Bowman (Lion Tamer) reported that as there was no absolutely no pace on paper he settled closer than recent starts as no one was keen to take up the running.
Craig Williams reported Quarterbar was going to be trapped wide so he elected to stride forward.
He added Quarterbar was an immature type who would be a better horse in six months
More articles
|