EF MAR 30 - NAVELINA LIVES UP TO HER EARLY PROMISE

By Graham Potter | Saturday, March 30, 2013

Eagle Farm, March 30, 2013.
QTIS 2YO Handicap - 1400m.
1 Navelina; 2 Voodoo Blue Magic: 3 Octane Flyer.
Track - Dead 4. Rail - Out 3m.
Time: 1-24.32. Last 600: 35.19.
Margins: 1.00, 0.80.

Navelina had been knocking at the door with two, credible runner-up finishes in her first two starts and the breakthrough win came on cue with the step up in distance to the 1400m trip.

Navelina (2 b f Duke Of Marmalade – Lush Liaison) is owned by Mrs J E Bell, S D Tumbridge, P G Wildermuth, S J Podlich, D N Podlich, Miss RL Rogers, G E Clegg, Mrs S Toparis, Mrs A T Broomham, K Zipp & Bellmere Lodge Racing (Mgr P J Bell).

The two-year-old has this win to her credit and she has yet to finish out of the first two in three career starts and she has already recovered her purchase price.

WINNER FEEDBACK:

TRAINER DARREN BELL:

“She has always shown us something all the way through.

“Her first start she found the line unbelievably well in a race that was obviously too short for her.

“The other day it was too soft for her here (when finishing a 1.90 length second behind Voodoo Blue Magic over 1200m in heavy going).

“She looked like she struggled a bit with the going and she was three wide so she wasn’t given any favours but, again, she still found the line well and I was actually very happy with that run.

“We thought going up to 1400m would be just perfect for her … and, of course, she was back on top of the ground.

“It was really terrific the way she got the job done.

“We bought her at the QTIS sale. We paid $30 000. At the time I was probably prepared to pay a bit more for her too. She is out of a nice family and being by this breed … Duke Of Marmalade … she’ll be better when they get over further.

“We were just going to get by this one before looking too far ahead, but I think now that she has come through that … and come through well … we might be heading towards a feature race like the TJ Smith during the carnival.”

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:

Gully Command (P. Schmidt) was slow to begin. Shortly after the start Mishani Centurion (K. Matheson) shifted in and made heavy contact with Navelina (E. Wilkinson).

So Cheeky (J. Byrne) over-raced in the early stages.
For a considerable distance approaching and passing the 1000m Gully Command over-raced at the heels of Mishani Centurion.

Nude Secrets (G. Cooksley) raced fiercely approaching the 1000m and after being crossed by Octane Flyer (R. McMahon) after leaving the 1000m, shifted out forcing Give It Away (M. Cahill) wider. R. McMahon (Octane Flyer) was reprimanded for shifting in when not quite clear of Nude Secrets.

Nude Secrets continued to race ungenerously and hang out for the remainder of the event and near the 500m Voodoo Blue Magic (M. Vance) had to be restrained from the heels of that horse. Mishani Centurion, which was trailing Voodoo Blue Magic, shifted in slightly of its own accord, struck the heels of Voodoo Blue Magic and blundered badly.

As a result, Gully Command, which was following, had to be checked, along with So Cheeky. In this incident Oosthuizen (G. Colless) was also taken wider on the track.

Princess Dat (A. Allen) raced wide without cover throughout.

Oosthuizen raced back in the field three wide.

Our Zidane (T. Bell) raced wide throughout.

E. Wilkinson, the rider of Navelina, pleaded guilty to a charge of careless riding under AR. 137(a) in that near the 200m he permitted his mount to shift out when insufficiently clear of Our Zidane (T. Bell), resulting in Our Zidane having to be checked and alter course to avoid the heels of Navelina.

E. Wilkinson's licence to ride in races was suspended for a period of 7 meetings, to commence at midnight on Monday, 1 April, and expire at midnight on Friday, 12 April 2013.

When asked to explain the reasons for his failure to fully test Mishani Centurion in the straight, apprentice K. Matheson explained that the horse had blundered badly near the 500m and after it failed to respond when tested in the early part of the straight, he did not continue to pressure the horse as he became concerned that it may have injured itself during that incident. Stewards accepted his explanation.

A post-race veterinary examination of Mishani Centurion revealed no abnormalities.

When asked to explain the tactics adopted on Nude Secrets today, which appeared to be in contrast with those adopted at the Gold Coast at its most recent start, G. Cooksley explained that it was the intention of connections to have the horse positioned midfield with cover.

Jockey Cooksley added that the horse was only fairly away and he was obliged to apply pressure in order to cross runners to his inside. G. Cooksley said that Nude Secrets reacted to his riding and commenced to race fiercely and he was unable to restrain it, which resulted in it being positioned in the lead. Jockey Cooksley added that the horse continued to race fiercely despite his attempts to settle it.

Trainer G. Duncan confirmed the instructions and informed stewards that it was his intention to send the horse for a spell. Stewards advised Mr Duncan that a warning would be placed on the horse with regard to its racing manners.

The veterinary surgeon reported that Voodoo Blue Magic had been galloped on on the near-hind leg.

Find out more about the winning trainer:
Darren Bell

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