EF JAN 11 - PLATINUM STATE WINS ON DEBUT IN SPITE OF NOT BEING ON HIS BEST BEHAVIOUR

By Graham Potter | Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Eagle Farm, January11, 2012.
Track - Good 3.Rail - Out 200m from 1000m to 400. True for the remainder.
Maiden Handicap (Two-year-olds) -1200m.
1 Platinum State; 2 Greek Island; 3 Rising Sky; 4 Moment Of Impact.
Time: 1-12.05. Last 600m: 36.10.

Three days before a possible lucrative day in the saddle at the Magic Millions race-day, the first-timer Platinum State gave jockey Chris Munce a ride he could well have dome without.

Platinum State, who started joint favourite, was only ordinary away and raced third last and wide in early part. When Munce asked his mount to go forward approaching the 800m mark, Platinum State shifted outward abruptly immediately unbalancing his rider.

Munce’s left arm shot up high behind his back in an effort to regain his balance and in that split second he also moved his weight to the right to instinctively counter Platinum State’s leftward movement. Platinum State quickly straightened on Munce’s urgings and he thumped back into the saddle, but both horse and rider were still at odds with each other for another 75m before Platinum State settled to a reasonable degree.

With Munce’s back now hurting and Platinum State not understanding what was expected of him, it would have no surprise if the horse simply continued to whack away in the second half of the field to finish unplaced.

But, despite their respective handicaps, both horse and rider stuck to their task. Needing to make up some four lengths in the home straight, Platinum State took his time in reeling in Moment Of Impact and Greek Island who were fighting it out at the head of affairs but, with Munce’s action not one hundred percent fluent in the saddle, the son of Falvelon was still good enough to get to the front inside the final 100m land a debut victory.

Munce took a long time to bring Platinum State back to the winner’s enclosure. He looked extremely uncomfortable in the saddle and to say he dismounted gingerly would be an understatement. His head dropped and his hands went to his knees as he took a moment before heading off to be weighed in.

Munce was stood down and took no further part in the meeting, but he did show some respect for the potential talent of the winner in the post race interview, given the result Platinum State had achieved against some considerable odds. (See winner feedback).

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Bryan Guy: “He is not a track-worker that is for sure. He was showing nothing on the track. Then I trialled him and he won a trial by about four lengths which really surprised me.

“Now this win. Allowing for everything that went wrong in the race … he ran off the track at the half-mile and was three or four deep from then on and still did a lot of things wrong … his win was terrific.

“He had something like four lengths to make up in the straight and he did it easy. He must just be a racehorse. It might not have been an overly strong field, but you can’t do anything more than win, I suppose.

“I’m going to run him in that QTIS 600 race which has $96 000 to the winner. That’s the race I won last year with Noisy Ocean. I’ll take him to that.”

Jockey Chris Munce: “The horse just did a bit of a dip-se-do down at the 700 and went out about four or five horses wide. It was very quick. It was quite simple really. He ducked out and I nearly came off.

“My foot was out of the iron. I was nearly on my way. That was when it sort of tweaked my back.”

“He was bit hopeless like that … with his manners. It’s his first start in a race so you can give him the benefit of the doubt, but I hope he can improve a bit manners-wise, because I think he can run a bit.

“He’s got ability. You can see by the way he finished the race off.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Platinum State): 2.20 out to 2.50. (Equal favourite).
Equal favourite (Greek Island): 2.80 in to 2.50. Finished second.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Platinum State (C. Munce) was tightened for room on jumping away between Gundy Gal (E. Wilkinson) and Quantum Shadow (J. Byrne), both of which shifted ground. A short distance later, Platinum State shifted out and bumped Quantum Shadow.

Near the 800m, Platinum State, after being struck with the whip, shifted out abruptly, almost dislodging its rider. The representative for trainer Mr Brian Guy was advised that a warning would be placed on Platinum State regarding its racing manners.

Passing the 500m, Gundy Gal shifted out to improve and in doing so made contact with Platinum State on several occasions.

In the early stages of the straight, Greek Island (T. Bell) laid in when placed under pressure, obliging jockey T. Bell to switch the whip into his right hand. Greek Island again laid in under pressure over the concluding stages.

Trainer R. Heathcote advised stewards that Quantum Shadow was showing signs of heat stress following the event and that it would be his intention to send the horse for an immediate spell.

Following this event, C. Munce was examined by the doctor and stood down from his remaining engagements.

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