ANOTHER DOUBLE FOR THE MCLACHLAN STABLE

By Matthew Grimson | Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Trainer Jason McLachlan sent out two winners, Serunai and Damashqui, at the Sunshine Coast meeting on Sunday.

Sunshine Coast, Sunday June 21.
Class 3 Handicap - 1000m. Time: 59.62.
Track - Cushion Track.
1 Serunai; 2 Craiglea Tunes; 3 Craiglea Whizard.

Serunai made it two wins in a row as he strolled to victory against four vastly inferior opponents. The three-year-old settled fourth early before moving forward effortlessly in the sweep to the turn to hit the lead a long way out. The gelding then easily extended his advantage all the way down the straight, without ever being asked to extend, to trounce his nearest rival by 6.50 lengths.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Jason McLachlan: “We’ve always had an opinion of this horse but he had a few issues early on which kept him back. He was just too good today. Yeah, we’ve got a new rider in the stable (Jana Piper). She didn’t do anything wrong on it did she?

"Mate, I’m a great believer in rewarding hard work. She comes and rides work for us and I’m happy to pay her back by giving her some rides. It keeps the boys riding for the stable on their toes ... and yeah, I’m happy to help her out in the chase for the jockey’s title (at the
Sunshine Coast). She’s leading that at the moment. To be honest though I could have ridden this horse and it would have won. What do you mean by that (responding to laughter). I’m a good rider!”

Apprentice Jockey Jana Piper: “Jason (McLachlan) is always really simple with his instructions. He just wanted me to let him run and he told me not to hold him down. The horses in front of me were going silly and I would have slotted in, but I didn’t want cushion track in my face! At the 600m though, he just grabbed the bit and all I had to do was let him go.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Serunai): 1.50 out to 1.65.
The winner was the favourite.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Krisalo (N. Thomas) shifted in at the start, making contact with the hind quarters of Shooting Stars (O. Turpin). Leaving the 500m, Shooting Stars was momentarily tightened for room between Serunai (J. Piper) and Craiglea Tunes (M. Speers), which shifted out marginally.


Class 2 Handicap - 1400m. Time: 1-27.62.
Track - Cushion Track.
1 Damashqui; 2 Magic Rocker; 3 Deltarara.

Jockey Eddie Wilkinson was content to let Damashqui lope along towards the rear of a compact field in the early part. The rider then pulled his mount wide and pushed the button at the top of the straight.

It took the gelding a couple of stride to build momentum but he was in front by the 200m mark and, although tested by the challenge of Magic Rocker, Damashqui pulled away over the last 100m to score a comfortable first-up win to claim his third success from his last four starts.

WINNER FEEDBACK
Jockey Eddie Wilkinson: “It was a perfect run, the horse is really strong. We got out at the 500m. I went out wide because I feel that the track is a little bit better out there. He was just too good. First-up over 1400m ... it was a great training effort from the team.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Danashqui): 3.00 into 2.80 out to 3.00.
The winner was the favourite.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Sconandtink (J. Piper) and Raining Kings (M. Hellyer) made contact on jumping away. Leaving the 400m, Brackin Road (N. Thomas) was severely crowded for room between Magic Rocker (T. Chambers) and Damashqui (E. Wilkinson), which shifted out around the heels of Sconandtink (J. Piper) to obtain clear running. Brackin Road (N. Thomas) and Magic Rocker (T. Chambers) raced wide for the majority of the event. Magic Rocker lost its near-fore plate in running.

More articles