DOOM OCT 1 - HOLD ME TIGHT PUTS THE SQUEEZE ON HER RIVALS; LANDS SOLID MAIDEN WIN

By Graham Potter | Monday, October 1, 2012

Doomben, October 1, 2012.
Track - Slow 6. Rail - out 1m.
Maiden Plate (Fillies & Mares) - 1350m.
1 Hold Me Tight; 2 Elusive Storm; 3 Lassila; 4 Baroness Zeena.
Time: 1-20.74. Last 600: 35.73.
Margins: 1.30; 1.50.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Barry Baldwin: “I was a bit worried when he was niggling at her there a bit. She might just be true to the breed. She might be just going to run on a bit.

“That sire Refuse To Bend is doing wonders in Australia now both with fillies and mares. They are winning everywhere aren't they?

“We’ll most probably tip her out now … give her a spell … and bring her back. She was always only to have a couple of runs this time in just to get the win under her belt, but she will go to the paddock now.

“You never know, if she can get a bit of distance it will open up our options. Judging by that run she might run on later on.

“The Refuse To Bend’s seem to be able to get anything from Shafeeq over 1000m to horses winning over a mile-a-and-a-half. They seem to be able to do anything.

“There are only a few of his runners going around but they are all winning and sweeping Australia by storm at the moment … Grey Assignment (nine wins), that horse of Gai’s Glencadam Gold (five wins from eleven starts – including the Listed Premier’s Cup at Rosehill and the Group 3 Newcastle Cup), the one that won a Group 3 on Saturday, Kelinni (seven wins) … they all getting up in distance.

“We might look to bring her back for a couple of those three-year-old fillies races next year. If she’s good enough she’ll get there, if not she’ll go around in the mid-weeks.

“It is a bit of an ambitious plan at the moment, but we’ll just see what happens.”

Jockey Chris Munce: “Yeah, that acceleration was good. She is the sort of filly that can get off the bit mid-race, but can dash a bit.

“She sort of gets up and races a bit and gets a bit keen and then doesn’t finish off as well.

“She did have excuses the other day. She lost her shoe and that probably got her ruffled a bit, but today there was good pressure, she relaxed well.

“She still wasn’t comfortable all the way. At the half-mile she struggled a bit, but once she got out into daylight … once she saw daylight … she was different and she let down good.”

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
As C. Maund was ill, D. Robinson was substituted as the rider of Almasea.

Almasea (D. Robinson) was very slow to begin. Christine (J. Stanley) was tightened for room at the start between Baroness Zeena (T. Bell), which was taken out by Playsova (M. Vance), and Perfect Cube (J. Byrne), which was taken in by Moochin (D. Browne). Shortly after the start Diamond Life (R. McMahon) and Green Cashmere (M. Cahill) came together and bumped.

Elusive Storm (S. Galloway) over-raced during the middle stages.

Near the 800m both Hold Me Tight (C. Munce) and The Singing Bullet (R. Myers) were tightened for room when racing to the inside of Elusive Storm, which shifted in and away from Baroness Zeena, resulting in The Singing Bullet having to be steadied.

Baroness Zeena and Playsova raced wide throughout.

The Singing Bullet, which commenced to over-race during the middle stages, improved up on to the heels of Elusive Storm and was steadied. Diamond Life, which was following, was inconvenienced as a consequence.

Near the 400m The Singing Bullet shifted out in order to improve, forcing Playsova wider on the track.

Inside the final 100m Hold Me Tight shifted in and made contact with Elusive Storm.

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