EF JULY 25 - WESTERN SHADOW LEADS HIS RIVALS A MERRY DANCE TO SCORE AN END TO END VICTORY

By Graham Potter | Thursday, July 26, 2012

Eagle Farm, July 25, 2012.
Track - Slow 6; Rail - out 10m.
Class 4 Handicap (C, G & E) - 1200m.
1 Western Shadow; 2 Gotcha; 3 Starlin; 4 Daytime Dazzler.
Time: 1-11.38. Last 600: 36.16.
Margins: 1.30; 0.10.

The Mark Palmer trained Western Shadow resumed here following a four month layoff from action and he was produced in race winning fettle as he dominated proceedings to score a decisive end to end victory.

Tegan Harrison wasted little time in taking Western Shadow up to assume his usual front-running role and she was able to rate the son of Shadow Creek to her liking, leaving more than enough in the tank for the four-year-old to be able to maintain his effort all the way to the line leaving the best of the others, who were once thinking of challenging for the lead, to fight out the minor placings.

This win provided apprentice Tegan Harrison with the second leg of her first city treble.

Western Shadow is a four-year-old bay gelding.
He is owned by A Hall, G Dunne, M Pain, R Coulthurst & S Rixon.
He was bred by Ms P F Blore.
This was Flinders Command’s fifth career win from twenty-one career starts.
He also has six placings to his credit.
This win took his stake earnings to $59400.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Mark Palmer: “I wasn’t certain if I was going to start in the wet. He is not really a wet track performer, but I thought I’d go with the claim. Tegan (Harrison) rides well so I had no problem doing that. She comes out and helps me ride jump-outs and that. She’s ridden him in jump-outs so she was the obvious choice, not least because she does ride very well.

“He’s just a late maturer. I’ve given him plenty of time. He ran second to that good horse of Tony Sears (The Ringmaster) first-up last time in. I think they broke a Class Record that day. Then he won his next start afterwards at Eagle Farm with Jimmy (Byrne) on him, so he has always shown some ability.

‘He has really excelled this time in and has now won first-up. I think this will be his best prep. He is just a high roller in front. He just likes to lead.

“He can be a bit strong at times. Today I was a bit worried about the last 100m first-up, but I knew I’d given him plenty of work and Tegan rode him very well. She rated him perfectly.”

Jockey Tegan Harrison: “He was first-up today. I have jumped the horse out … I’ve never ridden it in a race before.

“He was strong all the way. They were coming at him, but he was always in charge. I think if they got any closer … if they were there … he would fight. He seems like that sort of horse.

“He’ll only do what he has got to do, but if something comes up he will put up a fight.”

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
The saddle on Billy Aucash (R. McMahon) shifted back at the start, placing its rider at a disadvantage for the entire event.

Gotcha (A. Butler) and Dux Bellorum (T. Bell) made contact on jumping away.

Sam's Gift (G. Colless) and The Cranberries (L. Cassidy) were tightened for room on jumping away between Laud Bentley (J. Byrne) and Amber Ale (C. Munce), which was taken out by Dux Bellorum.

Leaving the 800m, Dux Bellorum had to be steadied off the heels of Amber Ale, which shifted in.

Trickin (J. Letherby), Dux Bellorum and Laud Bentley raced wide throughout.

When questioned regarding the disappointing performance of Dux Bellorum, T. Bell could not offer any tangible explanation, as the gelding failed to respond to his riding when placed under pressure from the 600m.

Trainer L. Birchley advised that connections would now review the current racing program of Dux Bellorum in view of its disappointing performance today.

A post race veterinary examination of Dux Bellorum revealed the horse to have a slow post race recovery and suffering from thumps.

Want to find out more about the winning trainer?
Mark Palmer

More articles