EF NOV 27 - MR FAVULOUS SHOWS HIS WORTH

By Graham Potter | Monday, November 29, 2010

Eagle Farm, November 27, 2010.
Track - Good. Rail - out 2.5m. Penetrometer - 5.
QTIS 2yo Handicap - 1000m.
Time: 58.29. Last 600: 34.53. (Carrying 55.5kg).
1 Mr Favulous; 2 Midnight Minx; 3 Danish Whiskey.
Margins: Short-neck; 0.75.

The first race result at Eagle Farm on Saturday brought joy for the connections of Mr Favulous and disappointment for jockey Brent Evans.

Evans lost the ride on the winner when he did not arrive at the track on time due to transport problems and he cut a disconsolate figure as he sat on the bench outside the jockey room after Mr Favulous ($11.00) had outgunned the short-priced favourite Midnight Minx ($2.05) when kicking on with meaning all the way down the home straight under a strong ride from Jason Taylor, who was the beneficiary of Evans’ misfortune.

Stewards allowed Taylor (a senior rider) to replace Evans (an apprentice) as no they reported that no other apprentice rider was available to take the ride.

Mr Favulous was having his third start. He only went down by a nose when making his debut at Toowoomba on October 30. He was then unsighted when finishing 7.70 lengths behind Five O’Clock in his first visit to town when racing over 1100m at Doomben on November 20.

Trainer Donald Baker was happy to give the colt a seven day back-up and this time Mr Favulous made his own run and brought his ‘A’ game to the crease when hitting his rivals for a six to claim a lucrative victory, snaring $53 000 as a QTIS registered runner.

The Alan Bailey Midnight Minx had every chance in the run home but simply found one too good for him on the day while the third placed Danish Whiskey lost his chance of victory when hanging out very wide on the turn, an indiscretion which cost him several vital lengths.

This was the second time in as many starts that Danish Whiskey had proved a difficult ride. He hung out throughout on his debut when ridden by an apprentice. A change of gear (blinkers on first time and cross-over nose band off first time) and the move to a senior jockey did little to correct this negative trait of the Liam Birchley trained runner who now, for the second time, will have to trial to the satisfaction of the stewards before racing again.

Watch out when he does get it right, because he has already shown that he will be a more-than-useful sort.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Jockey Jason Taylor: “I was instructed to ride the horse forward. I saw last start the horse got caught a bit wide … he pretty much had no luck last start from an awkward draw.

“The start before that at Toowoomba was his first start in a race and he just got nabbed, so he probably was coming into that race not without a chance.

“To the horse’s credit, I took him up and rode him forward. Like I said they wanted me to ride the horse positive.

“He began nice. When I gave him a dig he put himself right up there on the bunny, so I thought I’d take him to the lead and let him cruise along.

“He did put the pace on. He put the pressure on from the start and he didn’t shirk his task at all.

“The favourite (Midnight Minx) has us in his sights and was entitled to go past us in the straight, but he put his down and kept going strong right to the line.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Mr Favulous): 10.00 out to 11.00.
Favourite (Midnight Minx): 1.90 out to 2.10. Finished second.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Due to transport difficulties, apprentice B. Evans was unable to fulfil his engagement on Mr Favulous and was replaced by J. Taylor when no apprentice rider was available.

Midnight Minx (G. Colless) jumped away awkwardly and shifted in, making contact with Danish Whiskey (J. Byrne).

Wonderful You (C. Munce) jumped away awkwardly and made contact with the off side barrier partition.

Daytime Dazzler (R. Hinricks) was inconvenienced shortly after the start by Regency Royale (M. Cahill), which shifted in slightly.

Daytime Dazzler raced ungenerously in the middle stages and near the 700m shifted in making contact with the hind quarters of Aspy Bay (B. El-Issa).

After passing the 600m, Danish Whiskey commenced to hang out and proved difficult to ride rounding the home turn. Trainer L. Birchley was advised that the filly must compete in an official trial prior to its next race start.

In the early part of the straight, Wonderful You had difficulty obtaining clear running until approaching the 300m.

Passing the 200m, Wonderful You was obliged to race in restricted room for a short distance when attempting to take a narrow run between Regency Royale and Daytime Dazzler.

C. McIver reported that Granzella appeared to lose concentration through the middle stages and it was not until he was able to position it wider on the track in the home straight that the horse raced genuinely and finished the race off well.

A post race veterinary examination of Lady Manchester revealed the filly to be exhibiting an abnormal respiratory noise.

More articles