DOOMBEN: JANUARY 1: SCHIAVONE POUNCES FIRST-UP

By Graham Potter | Friday, January 2, 2015

WINNER: SCHIAVONE (5 ch m Snippetson – Fedorova).
Fillies and Mares No Metro Win Handicap – 1050m.
Track: Good 4; Rail: Out 6m.
Time 1.00.54 (carrying 54kg); Last 600m: 32.82.
Second: Riverbolda; Third: Not A Single Moment.
Won by 0.10 lengths at a starting price of $14.

After thirteen-and-a-half months on the sidelines due to extended treatment and recovery time following a tendon issue, the Tina Cotsiopolus trained SCHIAVONE showed both ability and fight when coming out on top after a protracted two-way struggle with race favourite Riverbolda ($2.10).

Cotsiopolus was quick to deflect all credit for SCHIAVONE’s first-up winning performance to the good people at Washpool Lodge and other who helped her get SCHIAVONE back in business but, by any measure, SCHIAVONE’s result also rubber stamped a notable training effort.

WINNER FEEDBACK:

TRAINER: TINA COTSIOPOULOS:

“She does deserve the win. She’s had a lot of problems for a long time.

“You can’t rush a tendon. You just have to take your time with it and Washpool did a lot of work with her so I’ve got to ring and thank them.

“Going into the race I thought she would at least run a place today. She jumped out really well the other day. She got a little bit tired at the end of that jump-out but I thought she did it really well.

“The other horse that went across the line with her was Saluter, and he came out and won so that gave me some confidence.

“Today was a tough finish, but she fights very hard. She has been run past obviously before, but she does always dig in and try. You do have to beat her. She doesn’t hand it to you.

“It is a bit emotional because everyone spent a lot of time and effort and money to get her here. It was only the tendon issue but we had to let that take as much time as she needed. She hasn’t run since November 2013 so that tells a story.”

JOCKEY ANDREW SPINKS:

“She’s always galloped well but, obviously, she’s had her problems. She had a tendon problem. We were lucky we caught it in time but it still took her out of action for more than twelve months.

“There are a lot of people we have got to thank for their help and patience. The list is too long but a lot of thanks are due.

“She dug deep today. She couldn’t have been more tested. She was getting tired the last little bit but there was plenty of character in the way she fought to the line.

“She trialled well here the other day … or jumped out and won that pretty easy. We just wanted to keep her ticking over without putting too much pressure on her and she did a really good job.”

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