FLEM NOV 04 - STATUS SYMBOL CONTINUES RUN OF UPSET RESULTS

By Taron Clarke | Sunday, November 7, 2010

Flemington, November 4, 2010.
Track - Heavy 8. Rail - Out 6m. Penetrometer: 5.02.
Crown Promenade Stakes (Listed) 4YO+ Mare Handicap - 1100m.
Time: 1-04.85. 600m Sectional: 35.04. (Carrying 53kg).
1 Status Symbol; 2 Jerezana; 3 Zingaling
Margins: 0.5L x 0.5L

Consistent mare Status Symbol scored an upset victory in the Listed Crown Promenade Stakes over 1100 metres for Cranbourne trainer Ken Keys and stand in jockey Craig Newitt.

Newitt picked up the ride at the expense of fellow jockey Blake Shinn who suffered a broken fibula when he parted company from Zauberin on Melbourne Cup day in the Listed The Lavazza Long Black Handicap over 2800 metres.

Status Symbol, the veteran of only seventeen career starts took her prizemoney to $197,257 with the win. Not a bad little return on the $2000 that trainer Ken Keys paid for the mare at the 2007 Inglis Autumn Yearling Sale.

A daughter of Hemingway, the win gave Status Symbol some valuable Black Type to add to her record.

Status Symbol was sent out one of the roughest in the affair at 51.00 after opening at 41.00 in the betting market.

For trainer Ken Keys, the win brought back fond memories as it was on VRC Oaks day many years ago when the trainer scored his first metropolitan victory as a licenced trainer.

Status Symbol scored down the outside fence by a half-length over Jerezana and a similar margin back to Zingaling in third.

Favourite for the event was the Clarry Conners trained Dorf Command at 5.00.

Ridden by Craig Williams the pair failed to make any impression down the Flemington straight and finished well back in the ruck.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Ken Keys: “He had in one front of him sort of not knowing where it was going, so he did a good job getting through.

“We expected that we would be travelling on the outside fence and hoped that everyone came with us, so everything worked out good.

“Barrier 20 … when I first looked at it … I went, ‘yuck', but as the weather's been like it has I thought that might not be so bad and it's worked out nice.

“Dwayne (Dunn) was really happy with her last 100 metres last start and he said maybe it was just a smidgin too heavy. Today is obviously an improvement on that so we're pretty happy.

“She is underrated and she has been a little ripper. She just keeps getting better. It must be something to do with what she eats I reckon, I don't know … she's just a beauty.

“People don't give her the respect she deserves. We don't kick her up, but we always rate her pretty highly as a chance.

“I trained my first ever city winner on this day. That was a lot of years back unfortunately, but it's been a good day for us.”

Jockey Craig Newitt: “It's a big thrill … and I only picked her up yesterday, or Tuesday, when Blake (Shinn) come to grief (in The Lavazza Long Black).

“That's probably the best she's relaxed in a race so far and I was pretty confident a long way out. I just needed a clear passage.

“Midway through the race I was in a bit of an awkward spot because they all came out to me, which I didn't really expect … but she really travelled well and she let go good.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Status Symbol): 41.00 out to 51.00.
Favourite (Dorf Command): 4.20 out to 5.50 into 5.00. Finished seventh.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Very Discreet jumped away very awkwardly and collided heavily with De Lightning Ridge which shifted in abruptly. Very Discreet then shifted in making contact with the hindquarters of About Ready.

Near the 700m Solchow had to be steadied to avoid the heels of Play Just For Me (USA) which shifted out slightly.

After passing the 400m Very Discreet was held up badly for clear running and failed to obtain clear running from that point and subsequently went to the post not fully tested.

Flowerchild over-raced in the early and middle stages and inside the 300m shifted in crowding Impressive Eagle and About Ready. At the same stage Jerezana shifted out to compound the incident.

Near the 300m Shekinaar shifted in after being bumped on the hindquarters by Very Discreet, which was held up, and this resulted in Shekinaar shifting in across the heels of Jerezana resulting in Shekinaar having to be eased.

Over the concluding stages Very Discreet which was still held up attempting a narrow run between Flowerchild and De Lightning Ridge and at the same time De Lightning Ridge shifted in slightly and this left insufficient room for Flowerchild which had to be checked approaching the winning post.

Zingaling was disappointed for a run near the 200m between Netra and Status Symbol which shifted in sightly.

D Smith (About Ready) reported that his mount was inclined to lay in when placed under pressure.

C Williams (Dorf Command) reported at scale that in his opinion the mare did not appreciate racing amongst other horses. A post race veterinary examination of Dorf Command revealed no abnormalities.

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