EF MAR 23 - THEGREATANDTHEGOOD WINS SLUGGING MATCH WITH MYSTIC MAHAL

By Graham Potter | Thursday, March 24, 2011

Eagle Farm, March 23, 2011.
Track - Dead 5. Rail - out 9m.
Maiden Plate (C, G & E - Set weights) - 1400m.
1 Thegreatandthegood; 2 Mystic Mahal; 3 I'lllbetricked.
Time:1-25.32. (Carrying 55kg). Last 600m: 35.93.
Margins: Head; Head.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Mark Thompson (foreman for the John Thompson stable): “He was very unlucky last start. He got a long way back (when running on into fourth place behind Tazuma over 1200m).

“He covered a lot of ground out wide. They sort of skipped away and ran 34 the last three and he made up ground on them … so he was unlucky last start.

‘He got the 1400 today. He might go a little bit further, but I don’t think too much further.”

Jockey Jim Byrne: “He ranged up there real easy, but then he just kind of sat there, whereas the other day when we rode him real quiet he finished off better.

“He did dig in when the other one came back at him.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Thegreatandthegood): 2.10 out to 2.40 in to 2.25.
The winner was the favourite.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Connections advised Coco Dubawi would be ridden towards the rear of the field if circumstances permit. The horse was ridden accordingly.

Trainer R. Heathcote advised that Italian Danza would be ridden in a midfield to forward position from the good barrier draw. The horse was ridden accordingly.

Bald Hill (M. Palmer) was slow to begin.

Wattle Brave (M. Wood) began awkwardly.

Stay Put (P. Wolfgram) pulled hard in the early stages and when the pace steadied approaching the 800m, Stay Put had to be restrained to avoid the heels of Mystic Mahal (C. Munce) for some distance.

Picaceleb (M. Speers) also over-raced in the early stages and near the 1000m had to be restrained off the heels of Wattle Brave.

I'llbetricked (J. Wood) over-raced in the middle stages.

Near the 500m, Illbebricked shifted out to obtain clear running around the heels of Wattle Brave and made contact with Picaceleb.

Near the 300m, Wattle Brave was obliged to alter course to the outside of Thegreatandthegood (J. Byrne) when that runner shifted in under pressure.

J. Wood, rider of Illbetricked, was reprimanded for raising his whip arm above shoulder height over the final 100m.

L. Cassidy, rider of the 4th placegetter, Degree Of Honour, was fined $100 for failing to weigh in.

A post race veterinary examination of Picaceleb failed to reveal any significant abnormalities.

More articles