FLEM NOV 06 - LAUNAY BACKS UP TO SCORE AGAIN

By Taron Clarke | Monday, November 8, 2010

Flemington, November 6, 2010.
Track - Dead 4. Rail - Out 9m. Penetrometer: 4.72.
Masterfoods Condiments Plate 4YO+ Rating 0-95 Handicap - 1600m.
Time: 1-36.98. 600m Sectional: 34.73. (Carrying 55.5kg).
1 Launay; 2 Willy Jimmy; 3 Eraset.
Margins: 1.3L x 1.2L

Peter Snowden’s galloper Launay became the first of two winners on VRC Stakes Day to back up after running on Melbourne Cup Day.

Lee Freedman’s mare Well Rounded took a giant step when she backed up after an encouraging second in a restricted mare’s race on Melbourne Cup to win the Group 2 Matriarch Stakes later in the day.

For Snowden, the victory ensured he would be named the most successful trainer of the four day Flemington Carnival with four wins to his name, one more than Caulfield based rival Peter Moody.

The win of Launay also capped a successful return to the saddle for Snowden’s stable jockey Kerrin McEvoy.

McEvoy has only just returned to race riding after a fall mid-year, but found the courage to thrust himself onto the world’s biggest stage this week with three wins to his name, two of those aboard Launay.

Snowden admitted that he believes that he has found the key to the horse and that the son of Lonhro will race in the anticlockwise way of going in the future.

The Darley owned galloper was sent out the favourite in the event at the solid quote of 3.50.

McEvoy took the four-year-old straight to the front and that was the end of the section as the pair skipped along to score by a length and a quarter over Sydney visitor Willy Jimmy with a similar margin back to Sale Cup winner Eraset in third.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Peter Snowden: “Very rarely do I do back them up, but he's done really well since Tuesday.

“On paper it looked a nice race for him. He drew a bit awkward, but I was happy between Tuesday to now. Everything's been good with the horse.

“There wasn't a lot of speed on paper and he's a horse that’s cruising along quite well in front. He relaxed really well, much better than what he did on Tuesday, and gave a good kick at the 300 metres and that was enough to get him home.

“He's definitely better left-handed.

“Going the other way he's not half the horse. He floats … he changes stride a lot. He's definitely a more complete horse this way and we'll place him to advantage here.”

Jockey Kerrin McEvoy: “We just wanted to get him to switch off a bit better today and he did that.

“He still was a little bit against me so I was still a little bit worried coming to the bend, but I think the drier ground helped him again today.

“He's going well this way and Pete's done a good job with him. I'm glad that he and Henry (Plumptre) decided to run him.

“He does pretty well at home and Peter and Paul (Snowden, assistant trainer) just kept an eye on him to see how he was and two wins (in a week) for a horse like him, it's great for his confidence.

“The track's dried out nicely. It's still got a nice cover of grass. It's a little bit broken up in spots, but overall pretty good.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Launay): 3.30 out to 3.50.
The winner was the favourite.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
On jumping away I Got One, which was slow to begin, was then crowded for room between Trader and Makeadreamcometrue (NZ), both of which shifted ground.

For some distance passing the 1100 metres Devil’s Force and Ruadhan raced in restricted room to the inside of Eraset, which was caught wide without cover.

Devil’s Force was inclined to over-race in the middle stages.

He’s An Angel raced wide without cover.

From the 800 metres Ruadhan, Devil’s Force, Down Under Boy and I Got One were all unable to improve their positions when held up for clear running until the entrance to the home straight near the 500 metres.

Near the 150 metres Ruadhan shifted in slightly before being straightened and in doing so inconvenienced Devil’s Force.

M Walker (Trader) advised that in his view the horse felt short in its action throughout.

A subsequent veterinary examination failed to reveal any abnormality.

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