ROMAC’S EXPRESS COMES IN ON TIME

By Matthew Grimson | Friday, June 26, 2009

Kelly Schweida performed a fair training effort when he produced Romac’s Express first-up from an 18 month, injury enforced layoff the take the honours in the third race at Eagle Farm on Wednesday.

The four-year-old, who was having only his third career start, had to overcome a wide barrier and battle the soft going before claiming victory. In the end, the gelding did it at both ends, having enough speed to cross his field early and the commitment, under some pressure, to ward off all challenges under a determined ride from Chris Reith in the final chase to the line.

Eagle Farm, June 24.
C,G & E Maiden Handicap - 1000m. Time: 1-01.04.
Track - Heavy 8. Rail - out 9m.
1 Romac's Express; 2 Flight Lord; 3 Sir Brilliant.

Trainer Kelly Schweida: “He blew a tendon about 18 months ago so the owners were really patient and gave him a bit over a year off. He’s been in work a while, we’ve just been taking our time. But it was good effort really. He’s been gelded but that was a long time ago.

“I wasn’t confident, he hadn’t race for 16 months, and on a heavy track as well. We were in two minds whether to run him, but we thought it’s the first race over the 1000m shute so he’d get his first run down the hill. But no, I wasn’t over confident. His work’s been good, but when you haven’t run for nearly 18 months on a heavy track it’s always a bit of a risk.

“I said to the owners I’d be tickled pink if he finished in the first five. Plans for him next? Mate, it depends on how he pulls up. They’re all day to day propositions, but we’ll just keep plodding along and trying to win races.”

Jockey Christian Reith: “The horse has been off for quite a while - about 18 months he’s been off - so there was just a little query on his fitness. He began well, travelled good. I was always confident. I was just a little weary of his fitness but, you know, Kelly (Schweida) has done it again and had him right for today. He was too good for them.

“I didn’t go to the front intentionally, but we drew outside and didn’t have too many options. I didn’t really have to use any gas to get him to the front so I elected to take him forward and give him an easy run in front. His fitness will definitely improve and he’s definitely going to be better on top of the ground. It will be interesting to see how he comes through that run.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Romac’s Express): 6.00 out to 7.00.
Favourite (Sir Brilliant): 3.60 into 2.50. Finished third.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
I Don’t Remember (L. Cassidy), Seethrough (B. Evans) and Flash Romeo (C. McIver) were all slow to begin. Sir Brilliant (S. Scriven) jumped outwards at the start, making contact with Flight Lord (G. Geran). A short distance later, Fear ‘N’ Loathing (J. Jones) and Penrique (G. Baker) were tightened between Flight Lord which shifted out, and Romac’s Express (C. Reith), which shifted in.

Shortly after the start, I Don’t Remember (L. Cassidy) shifted out slightly and made contact with Seethrough (B. Evans), which shifted in. Both horses continued to make contact for some distance and leaving the 800m I Don’t remember raced in restricted room and near the 700m had to be checked when tightened for room by Seethrough (B. Evans), which had a tendency to shift away from Nail ‘Em (M. Hellyer), which was racing to its outside. Whilst stewards acknowledged that I Don’t Remember had contributed to the incident through being inclined to initially lay out, they nonetheless severely reprimanded B. Evans for failing to take sufficient measures to straighten his mount and prevent it from shifting in near the 700m, which resulted in I Don’t Remember having to be checked.