EF JAN 11 - PRODUCT BACK IN BUSINESS

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.
Class 3 Plate (Fillies & Mares) - 1200m.
1 Product; 2 Judy's Joy; 3 Ice Creme; 4 Our Triple Treat.
Time: 1-11.61. Last 600m: 36.12.

The first of trainer Liam Birchley’s back-to-back winners at the meeting came in the form of form of the four-year-old mare, Product.

The daughter of Choisir had won first-up in this class when comfortably beating Handbag back in November. In three subsequent starts this time in she also had two placings to her credit, so she was entitled to add to her winning tally here, although it took a conscious change of tactics to help her gain the third win of her career.

This time Product was ridden quietly and she hugged the inside rail, saving ground, turning for home straightening some four lengths off the leader, who was the short-priced favourite Ice Creme.

In spite of being given more rein coming through the 250m Ice Creme failed to produce winning acceleration and she came under immediate pressure from Judy’s Joy, who, in turn, was being followed into the race by Product.

A gradual shift off the rail and a subtle switch around heels by jockey Glen Colless and suddenly Product was in clear running with a free shot on Judy’s Joy, who had taken the measure of Ice Creme inside the final 120m.

Product had been saved for her final finishing effort and she now produced it on cue to steadily reel in Judy’s Joy and claim the advantage in the final few strides to earn an inch perfect victory.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Liam Birchley: “I worked out we were riding her a bit too close.

“Glen (Colless) won on her previously (in her Maiden victory back in February 2011) when coming from near last and she felt like a real, quality filly.

“Because we’ve drawn a few good gates, we’ve taken advantage of that … probably too much … because she is just not strong enough to do it at both ends, so we opted to go back to riding her quietly. She showed she is better suited to that option.”

Jockey Glen Colless: “We’ve probably been riding her too close in her races and she hasn’t been finishing off, so we elected to ride her pretty quiet today which we did.

“She tracked up pretty good and finished off well this time.

“I’ve always had a bit of an opinion of her, but probably riding her close is just not her way. She’s just got to be ridden very quiet.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Product): 3.50 out to 4.20.
Favourite (Ice Creme): 1.90 steady. Finished third.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
The start of this race was delayed when Ice Creme (R. McMahon), which was fractious in the gates, underwent a veterinary examination. Ice Creme was subsequently cleared to start.

Leaving the 900m, Mieko's Diamond (B. Wallace) improved up on the heels of Crystal Doll (J. Brown) and had to be checked.

At the same stage, Coco Baby (M. Hellyer) improved on to the heels of Product (G. Colless) and had to be checked.

Our Triple Treat (T. Bell) raced wide in the early stages.

Crystal Doll raced wide throughout.

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