EF OCT 20 - REFLECTANCE CONTINUES TO BUILD AN IMPRESSIVE RECORD. HAS NOW WON THREE OUT OF SIX

By Graham Potter | Saturday, October 20, 2012

Eagle Farm, October 20, 2012.
Track - Good 3; Rail - out 4m entire course.
QTIS Three-year-old Handicap -1500m.
1 Reflectance; 2 Caballo Rapido; 3 Joint Initiative; 4 Antarctic Dream.
Time: 1-30.61. Last 600: 34.87.
Margins: 2.30; 0.80.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Brett Killion (Foreman for the John Thompson stable): “Yeah, there was a moment at the 300m there but, you know … Michael Cahill, he gets out when he needs to get out.

“He was lucky he was going so well that he was able to take a bump and give a bump without it really affecting his momentum.

“He sprinted like we know he can. He still hung around the turn, so he still does that little bit wrong, but the good barrier today allowed him to get in with cover.

“Last start things just went a bit pear-shaped. It was just one of those deals where there was a small field … he had a tricky barrier … they raced in pairs. Michael had to drag him back to last. He probably resented it a little bit and then he hung.

“He was much better today, but he absolutely still has a lot to learn. The family are known to mature late. They take a while to get there and he should get better.”

Jockey Michael Cahill: “He is a bit immature. He has got all the ability in the world if he applies himself, but he still does a few things wrong,

“Once he got out the race was all over. I didn’t even ask him for his top effort. I sort of held him together and just let him know he had to gallop a bit, but you’d like to think he would have found a couple of lengths quite easily if I’d let him go.

“There was that difficult moment halfway up the straight. She was intent on keeping me in … Lacy Morrison on Not Without Sin … as is her right.

“When those horses whipped up around us, I could have been caught in a precarious spot there.

“It wasn’t that easy to get out. She rode back into me, which was alright. There is no rule that says you have got to let one out, but he was able to go on and get out. Once he did it was all over.

“He would have been terribly unlucky if he didn’t get out.

“As I said, he’s got a lot of ability. He is a Group class three-year-old. Ability-wise he is there. Mentally he still has to get there.

“When it comes down to straight galloping he is one of the best three-year-olds … potentially at least. He’s just got to learn all about getting in and out of traffic. It’s just a question of getting him right there maturity-wise.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Reflectance): 1.55 steady.
The winner was the favourite.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
As M. Vance was overweight stewards permitted App R. Myers to be substituted as the rider of Caballo Rapido. Stewards accepted M. Vance's explanation for being unable to claim her full allowance.

Caballo Rapido was slow to begin.

A short distance after the start Joint Initiative (B. Stewart) shifted in abruptly despite the efforts of its rider resulting in Default (A. Mundy) being severely crowded for room between Joint Initiative and Not Without Sin (L. Morrison) and losing its rightful running. Default then over-raced in the early stages of the event.

Near the 300m Not Without Sin shifted in slightly under pressure and became unbalanced when bumped on the hind quarters by Reflectance (M. Cahill), which at the same stage shifted out slightly from behind Joint Initiative.