GOLD COAST: JANAURY 3: LE CHEF SERVES UP A TASTY TREAT. EARNS A MILLION STARTS IN EMPHATIC FASHION
By Graham Potter | Sunday, January 4, 2015
WINNER: LE CHEF (2 b g Exceed And Excel – Red For Lou).
QTIS Two-Year-Old Handicap – 1200m.
Track: Soft 6; Rail: True
Time 1.11.61 (carrying 56.5kg); Last 600m: 36.63.
Second: Real Good; Third: Red Magic
Won by one length at a starting price of $2.50.
In the words of trainer Darryl Hansen this was ‘the final swing of the bat’ in terms of Le Chef’s quest to secure his place in the Magic Millions 2yo Classic next week and the strong looking son of Exceed And Excel hit a home run, easily accounting for his eleven rivals.
Second placed Real Good did keep the start-to-finish winner honest over the concluding stages, but he was the only one to provide nuisance value as the third runner home, Red Magic, finished more than five lengths adrift of Le Chef.
Le Chef has now raced three times for two impressive victories (the first coming by 4.50 lengths in a Maiden at Ipswich).
The gelding is owned by Mrs L M Saunders which means it can have two bites at the pie in the Magic Millions 2yo Classic where, apart from the lucrative, regular prize money that comes with a $2 million race, Le Chef also qualifies for the Racing Woman’s bonus which is on offer to the first four all-female owned or leased horses in finishing order. First prize there is a cool $325 000.
WINNER FEEDBACK:
TRAINER DARRYL HANSEN:
“He was much better getting away today. That’s what comes with race experience … so he’s coming to the party now. He has improved not only every race but every time I’ve given him a gallop.
“We’re in the Millions now. That was the final swing of the bat and we got there. Luke (Tarrant) has looked after him today as well, which was good because I’ve got to nurse him for seven days.
“He’s had a couple of good runs quickly, so we’ll see how we go. It was nine days to this one and I have left a little bit in the tank. I knew if we made it we’d be backing up again, so I’ll take him home and wrap him in cotton wool and see what happens.
“I didn’t pick him out. The owners bought him because he is a full brother to Le Cap, who won three races for me.”
JOCKEY LUKE TARRANT:
“We wanted to see what he had today. He did well.
“Obviously the track’s alright but he was climbing through it a little bit. He probably a little happier with a harder track.
“I wasn’t worried about going quick early. I knew he could maintain that speed if he needed to because I work him every morning.
“The biggest was if he wasn’t going to handle the track I at least wanted to have a break on them so they didn’t have the time to catch me.
“In the end, he just felt like he was sort of doing half pace up the straight. I didn’t really do much on him.
“He is a really nice horse and it is exciting to be on him.
STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
MISTRAL THIEF - The start was delayed when the colt proved difficult to load. Raced wide throughout.
SAGARONNE - Examined by the veterinary surgeon after dislodging the rider in the enclosure and cleared to start. Raced ungenerously in the early stages.
KYOTO ROSE - Slow to begin. Near the 1000m steadied from heels.
SHIPWRECKED - Held up rounding the home turn.
DAGGA BOY - Began awkwardly, shifted out and bumped ALLON ZEE. A short distance later was bumped by REAL NAUGHTY and lost ground. A post-race veterinary examination revealed the gelding to have over-reached resulting in it casting the off-fore plate causing a laceration to its near fore heel. Trainer advised the horse would now be sent for a spell.
REAL NAUGHTY - Began awkwardly and shifted out making heavy contact with DAGGA BOY.
ALLON ZEE - Bumped on jumping away.
INFINITE LEE - A post-race veterinary examination revealed the filly to be lame in the near fore leg. Trainer B Currie will be advised that a veterinary certificate of fitness will be required before the filly races again. After the running of Race 1, the track was upgraded to a Soft 5.
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