EF DEC 15 - MISSY LONGSTOCKING, NOT FULLY FIT BUT STILL TOO GOOD ENOUGH TO MAKE IT THREE FROM THREE

By Graham Potter | Saturday, December 15, 2012

Eagle Farm, December 15, 2012.
Track - Good 3. Rail - True.
Calaway Gal Stakes (Listed - 2yo Fillies - Set weights) - 1000m.
1 MISSY LONGSTOCKING; 2 Maracoola; 3 Moroccan Rose; 4 Ziggy’s Dance.
Time: 57.69. (Race Record: Military Rose - 56.27).
Last 600: 34.35.
Margins: 0.80; 0.20.

MISSY LONGSTOCKING (2 ch f Sequalo - Linyanti).
Owner: Mrs J M Clairs
Trainer: Liam Birchley. Breeder: Annecy Bloodstock.
Three starts … three wins with stake earnings already up to $135 500.

WINNER FEEDBACK:

BRAD BERWICK - FOREMAN FOR THE LIAM BIRCHLEY STABLE:
“Look, she’s only about eighty-percent fit, so we were going to be a little bit concerned if she had to do too much work early.

“The Grand Final is in a month’s time so we didn’t want her fully wound up.

“She did really well in the little ease up that she had. She’s only had a couple of gallops and a soft trial since she has come back, so she’ll improve a bit on today … a fair bit I’d say.

“Even though she does everything right, you’ve got to remember that she is learning all the time.

“She sort of shifted a couple of horses at about the 150. That was when she started to feel the pinch a bit but her class got her through.

“Two-year-olds … you know you’ve got then one day and you haven’t got them the next, but, as far as we can be … we’re happy that she is on target for the big one and we are very happy to have her in our yard.

“Yeah, she will have one more run before the millions. She’ll run in a fortnight now in the 1200m two-year-old race.”

JOCKEY DAMIAN BROWNE:
“Liam (Birchley) talked to me this morning and he said she is only probably eighty-five percent there, obviously with the Magic Millions in mind … it still a month away.

“I tried to be as soft on her as I could.

“She did race a little bit fresh today. At the 300 I thought she had put the race beyond doubt but she did struggle the last 100.

“She wasn’t the same horse I rode six or seven weeks ago … and that probably showed in one way today … but all that really means is how much improvement is in her when she gets up to full fitness.

“People might have expected her to win by further … but the point is she was still good enough without being fully fit.

“Her class got her there but, like I said, there is still a month to the Millions so there is plenty of time. She’ll be ready on the day.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:

Winner (Missy Longstocking): 1.24 steady.
The winner was the favourite.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:

Gallery Of Stars (M. Hellyer), Moroccan Rose (J. Lloyd) and Look At Anything (J. Byrne) began awkwardly. Jitterbug (G. Colless) and Gaylen (J. Taylor) were slow to begin.

A short distance inside the 100m, Missy Longstocking (D. Browne) shifted out under pressure, causing slight interference to Moroccan Rose (J. Lloyd).

Red Ryder (G. Killen) raced greenly throughout, and had a tendency to lay in in the straight.

A post-race veterinary examination of Gallery Of Stars revealed the horse to be lame in the off-fore fetlock. Connections were advised that a veterinary clearance would be required for Gallery Of Stars prior to its next race start.

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