EF MAR 23 - FALVELIZABETH MAKES THE MOST OF HER PULL AT THE WEIGHTS

By Graham Potter | Thursday, March 24, 2011

Eagle Farm, March 23, 2011.
Track - Dead 5. Rail - out 9m.
Class 4 Handicap (Fillies & Mares) - 1300m.
1 Falvelizabeth; 2 Flinders City; 3rd Our Hussey.
Time: 1-18.52. (Carrying 50kg). Last 600m: 34.94.
Margins: Long-neck; Short-head.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Noel Doyle: “Today was a different story to last time (when Falvelizabeth was unplaced but only 1.80 lengths behind Marine Gardens). Softer ground … the 1300 was always a little bit of a worry for me (stepping up from 1200m) though with Jason’s claim (Letherby claimed his full 3kg) she had nothing on her back so that was a big help.

“That was probably the deciding factor. Even though she travelled sweetly she had nothing on her back so she had to be competitive with that weight.

“The ground was probably too firm for her last time … but again the weight was probably the important factor. I don’t think she is a weight carrier. She had 57.5kg last start and I think that was probably just a bit too much for her.

“That’s why I opted for an apprentice today.”

Jockey Jason Letherby: “That was only my second win in town. The first one was Lone Assassin (for trainer Ron McCrae back in November).

“She jumped well. The plan was to go forward, but I couldn’t get there. She got caught wide, so I had to sit a half-length back and let her relax underneath me and try and sit there as long as possible.

“With no weight on her back I thought she should be able to sprint and hopefully keep going to the finish. She did that and battled on well till the end.

“No, it was not too bad getting the weight (50kg). I walk around at sort of 51.5, so just a bit of a sweat this morning and I made the weight.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Falvelizabeth): 3.50 out to 4.20.
Favourite (Our Hussey): 3.50 in to2.50. Finished third.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
N. Yamada, rider of Space Star, dropped his whip near the 500m.

Falvelizabeth (J. Letherby) hung in when placed under pressure over the final 300m.

Falvelizabeth and Crystal Honour (L. Cassidy) raced wide throughout.

Following this race the track rating was upgraded to Dead 5 retrospective to this race.

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