BRC JUL 29 - SECOND-UP WIN FOR LA VIE ESPRIT

By Graham Potter | Friday, July 31, 2009

Eagle Farm, July 29, 2009.
2yo Handicap -1500m. Time: 1-32.08.
Track - Good 3. Rail - out 12m.
1st - La Vie Esprit; 2nd - Pharonic; 3rd - Lord Linlithgow.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Brian Smith: “Well she is a well-bred filly isn’t she? Horses speak for themselves, you know. She’s got a touch of class to do that second-up for me. She’s been in work a fair while and we had all the wet tracks so, you know, the owners were patient because they let me scratch her from wide draws. We put the tongue-tie on today. She plays with her tongue and gets it back. When they do that they panic, so that’s why it went on. Later on she could make a feature race filly on her breeding.”

Jockey Joe Bowditch: “It was a good effort even though she just sort of grinded to the line. They turned it into a sprint home. The leader and the favourite, who sat outside the leader ... they got away with murder. They had the jump ahead of her. She did well to pick them up and run them down in the last furlong. She is a nice filly. She still doesn’t know what it is about, so there is plenty of improvement in her.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (La Vie Esprit): 5.00 out to 6.50.
Favourite (Pharonic): 2.70 out to 3.50 in to 3.10. Finished second.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Shortly after the start, Cit Cat Cooee was cramped for room between Sanderson and Al Chicago (M. Hellyer), which shifted in. At the same stage, Pharonic (S. Seamer) shifted out taking Sancy Diamond (S. Katsidis) out on to Panningen(J. Byrne). Lord Linlithgow (L. Cassidy) pulled hard in the middle stages. Near the 600m, La Vie Esprit (J. Bowditch) shifted out from behind the heels of Pharonic (S. Seamer), forcing Lord Linlithgow wider. Passing the 600m, Sancy Diamond (S. Katsidis) shifted out to improve and forced Montefalco (K. Pope) wider on the track.

When questioned regarding the disappointing performance of Apuckshunubbee, G. Colless explained that from the wide barrier the horse took up a position at the rear of the field, as is the horse's normal pattern, however when asked for an effort in the straight the horse failed to respond to his riding and did not finish the race off as expected today. Trainer A. Bailey was at a loss to explain the disappointing performance today and undertook to report back to stewards any abnormality which comes to his attention which may have had a bearing on today's performance. A post race veterinary examination of Apuckshunubbee failed to reveal any significant abnormalities and a swab sample was taken.