EF AUG 19 - CORAL FLIGHT IN GRINDING WIN

By Graham Potter | Friday, August 21, 2009

The Maryann Brosnan trained Coral Flight appreciated the extra ground here and he got the better of a protracted struggle with Suave Consort to score his first win in his eleventh start.

The latter had raced right around his field, as jockey Brad Stewart looked to inject some pace into the race, and he lead into the home straight. Coral Flight, who Katsidis had racing on the rail, was held up briefly approaching the turn when a badly tiring Bear The Cross came back on to him, but Katsidis guided his mount around that one and back onto the rail with the minimum of fuss.

A marginal shift out was all that was required for Coral Flight to join issue with Suave Dancer. The latter kept fighting but Coral Flight did enough to carry the day.

Eagle Farm. August 19, 2009.
Track -Good 3. Rail - out 7m.
Maiden Plate (Set Weights) - 2144m. Time: 2-17.76.
1 Coral Flight; 2 Suave Consort; 3 Moon Piggy.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Maryann Brosnan: “Yeah, he’s bred to be a stayer and he has just taken a while to learn about racing. Good jockey though ... he’s worth lengths.”

Jockey Stathi Katsidis: “He took the gaps he needed to take. Over the shorter races, because he is not fast enough, he can’t do that. Today with slower speed over a longer trip, which is obviously his go, he pushed through. He relaxed well and he won nicely.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Coral Flight): 4.00 steady.
Favourite (Jensway): 3.10 out to 3.60 in to 3.40.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Bear the Cross (M. Speers) over-raced in the early and middle stages. Leaving the 1100m, Soho Madame (M. Hellyer), which commenced to over-race, improved up on to the heels of Jensway (J. Byrne) and had to be steadied. Soho Madame (M. Hellyer) commenced to lay out leaving the 600m and did so until entering the home straight. Suave Consort (B. Stewart) had a tendency to lay out under pressure in the home straight. App M. Hellyer, rider of Soho Madame, was reprimanded under AR137A(5) for striking his horse in excess of the permitted amount in consecutive strides in the final 200m.