EF MAR 5 - RACING HEART EARNS HIS DUE REWARD

By Graham Potter | Monday, March 7, 2011

Eagle Farm, March 5, 2011.
Track - Heavy 10. Rail - out 4.5m.
No More than 2MW Handicap - 2200m.
1 Racing Heart; 2 Scarlett Jo; 3 Hopeson.
Time: 2-21.29. (Carrying 57kg). Last 600m: 38.78.
Margins: 3.50. 0.75.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Robert Heathcote: “It’s his first Saturday win the horse.

“His last five runs (when never finishing outside the first three, in conditions ranging from good to heavy over distances spread from 1350m to 2020m) have been full of quality. He has shown all the requirements … he is a Saturday class horse.

“I said to the owner, so far everything he has done has been a bonus because I think next preparation he is going to be a nice stayer.

“You’ll laugh … his first ever win was 1000m first-up and he won by five (lengths). Watching that did you ever think I’d have a 2000m horse?”

Jockey Larry Cassidy: “On the way to the start I was a little bit undecided where I would go in the race, given the going and being the first race of the day. I was a bit two minds.

“After cantering to the start I thought, I just see how I travel coming to the turn.

“I had to make a little bit of use of him early. He used to jump and just keep going and go pretty keen, but now he relaxes … and after riding him the other day I realized I could make a bit more use of him.

Having said that, as it turned out I had a pretty soft run. I had done no real work early … I travelled easy. I wasn’t concerned coming to the turn so I was prepared to come out on the track when the other horse came at me.

“I thought, I prefer to be a bit wider … and hopefully it is a bit better out there than it was on the inside … rather than doing something silly like staying on the inside and getting run down or something like that.

“We knew he’s handle the track and he ran the distance good.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Racing Heart): 2.80 out to 3.40.
Favourite (Scarlett Jo): 3.80 in to 3.30. Finished second.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Scarlet Jo (C. Munce) was slow to begin.

Rock Rules (E. Wilkinson) over-raced in the early stages.

When questioned, R. McMahon reported that he was instructed to ride Hazeldon from a position near the rear of the field, as is its normal racing pattern. However after being trapped wide in the early stages, he considered his best option was to progress forward in an effort to position Hazeldon closer to the fence, the result being that the gelding took the lead near the 1100m.

T. Treichel, rider of the 6th placegetter, Flying Johker, pleaded guilty to a charge under AR137(b), in that he failed to ride his mount out right to the finish of the race. T. Treichel was fined $200.

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