EF JUNE 1: PROTEST, BUT QUINTESSENTIAL KEEPS THE RACE AFTER A HARD FOUGHT WIN ON THE TRACK

By Graham Potter | Monday, June 3, 2013

Eagle Farm, June 1, 2013.
Track: Slow 7. Rail - out 3.5m.
Eagle Farm Cup (Group 2) - 2200m.
Standard Weight-For-Age.
1 Quintessential; 2 Manighar; 3 Voili Ici; 4 Moriarty
Time: 2-19.56. Last 600: 35.00.
Margins: 0.10; 0.80.

Quintessential is owned by Nearco Stud Ltd Synd (Mgr G R Tomlinson) and the mare was bred by Trelawney Thoroughbred Ltd. Her race record now stands at six wins from twenty-one starts and she has banked $706 415 in stake earnings.

DAVID FOWLER’S RACE WRAP:
“Great struggle wasn’t it? Quintessential and Manighar went head to head that last 100m and Quintessential answered Browne’s every call to hold off her rival.

“Quintessential had the dream trail behind Voila Ici. She went to the lead soon after straightening. When Manighar loomed I thought victory would be his but Quintessential fought tooth and nail.

“She certainly blossoms during the Queensland winter. She won the Queensland Oaks last year and then ran second in the Derby. Then she returned this year.

“We saw her score here three weeks ago in the Chairmans’ and she was successful again here in what turned out to be a thrilling finish with Quintessential and Manighar hitting the line locked together … but there was a short-head margin there for Quintessential.”

THE PROTEST:

It was not over yet though. Brad Rawiller, rider of the runner-up Manighar, fired in a protest against Quintessential being declared the winner, alleging interference on the turn out of the front straight on the first occasion, and also down the running in the home straight.

And so the action moved to the Stewards’ room.

BRAD RAWILLER (Rider of Manighar):

“Going out of the straight Damian Browne has come across … going forward. He’s obviously going to go forward and sit outside the leader and I was happy to go behind him … but then he started to relax and settle his horse and come back.

“At that time you can clearly see on the side-shot that he is only a length clear of me. I don’t think I could just go across and knock down Michael Rodd (on Zabillionaire).

"He would have been in severe trouble if I just allowed Damian Browne to just take me in, so I had to bring my horse back a length to gather him in … and I don’t think I had another option other than to take up Michael Rodd’s running. In the position he was in he was looking to go over the fence (had Manighar shifted in). You can call him in and ask his report on it, because he needed my help.

“The only option I had was to come back … to ease my horse back … and I lose that run. You can see the flow on for the next one hundred metres. I’ve gone from being just in a nice flowing run in-between runners on a slow ground track to all of a sudden being three behind them.

“I had no other option but to come back and that wasn’t for any other reason other than Damian Browne crossed me when he wasn’t clear.

“The margin’s been a short-half-head and clearly that’s been the difference.

“In the straight I was trying to get my horse into clear running outside him. He continued to come out to the point where I had to go back hands and heels to rebalance my horse and, again, I come back to the short-half-head margin.

“Certainly the interference coming out of the straight has cost me far more than a short-half-head."

PETER MOODY (Trainer of Manighar):

“Clearly going out of the straight the first turn you can see jockey Browne continually looks around. There is no doubt he has shortened Manighar up.

“At that stage of the race we thought our horses would race one-two. Jockey Browne took up his option to go forward but he didn’t race within the rules of racing. He wasn’t clear of Manighar at that point of the race.

“With regards to the movement in the straight, even though, as Brad (Rawiller) said, it wasn’t a significant shift, he did slowly come out on the horse. It was a bob of the head finish and, under these conditions, you don’t need anything going against you."

DAMIAN BROWNE (Rider of Quintessential):

“Going out of the straight the first time as I’ve crossed Brad Rawiller I’ve obviously had a tight rein. He was always going to be following me.

“As to where he was a hundred yards after, that was his own decision. I had nothing to do with that.

“As for in the straight, I believe I’ve come out to probably about six off the fence. Brad is obviously outside me. I’ve come out to him. I certainly never bumped him.

“I’ve got away from him. If anything, in the last little bit his horse has come back in on mine and inhibited his ability use of the stick, but that more Manighar coming back to me.”

JOHN SARGENT (Trainer of Quintessential):

“I just thought going out of the straight it was competitive riding. It’s a long way from home to say that’s cost them the race. There might have been a slight check there, but he’s balanced up and there was still a long race after that.

“Then in the straight … he’s had the whole length of the straight to beat my horse. He might have even headed it fifty out but Damian’s fought back and won again. I think he (the runner-up) had every possible chance.”

The protest was dismissed!

WINNER FEEDBACK:

TRAINER JOHN SARGENT:

“Both the horse and I like it here. She really grows a leg and you can see her coat from three weeks ago when she won … she improved some.

“After the carnival here last year we were going to take her down to Melbourne for the spring last year, but she didn’t come up. So we put her out for six weeks … just put her aside and then brought her back for the autumn.

“We will press on the Brisbane Cup next week. That will top her off. I’ve left a little bit in the tank for next Saturday. She only had two gallops going into this.

“Hopefully she will have improved with that. We will just walk and trot her this week. She’ll be ready for next Saturday.

“Damian (Browne) has got a good relationship with the horse.

“He got her off at the right time. Got a lovely trip and a trail. I was hoping they weren’t going to swoop around her, but he judged it well. He rides her beautifully. I mean he is a world class rider.

“With Damian knowing her so well I don’t have to even give instructions. He just goes ahead and does it.”

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:

The start of this race was delayed when VOILA ICI became fractious in the barriers. VOILA ICI was removed from the gates, examined by the veterinary surgeon and cleared to race.

On return to scale a protest was lodged by B. Rawiller, rider of the 2nd placegetter, MANIGHAR, against QUINTESSENTIAL (D. Browne) being declared the winner, alleging interference on the turn out of the front straight on the first occasion, and also down the running in the straight.

After taking evidence from the parties concerned and viewing the stewards' patrol video it was established that after passing the winning post on the first occasion, MANIGHAR was tightened for room when QUINTESSENTIAL shifted in when not fully clear, and further that QUINTESSENTIAL did shift out under pressure over the final 300m, which resulted in MANIGHAR being taken out slightly.

After considering these two incidents, and the manner in which both horses closed off the race, stewards could not be comfortably satisfied that the interference sustained to MANIGHAR had a material effect on the placings and correct weight was declared on the Judge's placings.

At a subsequent inquiry, D. Browne, rider of QUINTESSENTIAL, pleaded guilty to a charge of careless riding, in that passing the winning post on the first occasion he permitted his mount to shift in when not sufficiently clear of MANIGHAR, resulting in that horse being crowded for room for several strides. D. Browne was suspended from riding in races for a period covered by 8 meetings, to commence at midnight, 8 June and to expire at midnight, 19 June.

Near the 500m, LIGHTS OF HEAVEN (L. Nolen) shifted in and made contact with MORIARTY (N. Rawiller).

Stewards sought an explanation from N. Rawiller regarding his vigour on MORIARTY in the early part of the home straight. N. Rawiller stated that MORIARTY is best suited when saved for a final sprint of 300 metres, and in the early stages of the home straight he was able to improve his position trailing MANIGHAR and over the final 200m he shifted to the outside of that runner and the gelding worked to the line well.

When questioned regarding the performance of LIGHTS OF HEAVEN, trainer P. Moody was of the opinion that the mare was not able to gain a trail into the race from the 600m although he was slightly disappointed with its finishing effort over the final 200m.

ZABEELIONAIRE (M. Rodd) was inclined to lay in when placed under pressure in the early part of the home straight.

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