DOOM AUG 22 - HEART OF THE CITI TOO STRONG AT CLASS 6 LEVEL

By Graham Potter | Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Doomben, August 22, 2009.
Track - Good 2. Rail - out 2.5m.
Class 6 Plate (Set Weights) - 1350m. Time: 1-19.51.
1 Heart Of The Citi; 2 Mystic Vibe; 3 Judge Me Not.

After tackling the likes of Court Command and Albert The Fat in recent engagements, the Pat Duff trained Heart Of The Citi dropped back into Class 6 company here and he simply toyed with his opposition to win with complete authority.

The extreme outside gate was a possible complication but Heart Of The Citi had little trouble in crossing his field at the start and, once he had settled into his rhythm on the rail, he was always going to be a hard horse to peg back.

Another decisive burst of acceleration halfway up the straight all but ended the race as a contest as Heart Of The Citi underlined his class with a clear-cut win, leaving his rivals chasing for the minor placings.

Heart Of The Citi took his race record to six wins from 21 starts. His biggest win came in the luctrative 3yo Magic Millions Trophy in 2008.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Pat Duff: “I haven’t had a great run lately. Actually I suppose it has been the slowest period of time I’ve had in a while ... but, I mean, he was a handicapping certainty today. With Michael’s claim he’d be the best rated handicapped horse in a Class 6 you’ve ever seen. He’s a smart horse and to get in with 53. I mean he’s finished on the heels of ... well, it beat Forestreno home in its last race and that one came out and won the Open and he’s in a Class 6 with 53kg.

“I wasn’t worried about the draw (Heart Of The Citi was drawn the widest of the seventeen runners). He’s got gate speed. I just said to him (jockey Michael Hellyer) just to make sure to put him on the fence and then pull him up ... and then kick again.

“He’ll probably back up again next Saturday in a similar type of race ... a Class 6 over 1200m. He’ll drop back in distance, but it is a Plate race as well so you can’t let them go by with him."

Apprentice jockey Michael Hellyer: “Just down the straight he did want to get tugging along. Actually the reins had sweat all over it. The reins were slipping on me ... I didn’t have a great hold of him, but um ... I was like fifty percent positive I was going to win the race coming home. I knew I had so much underneath me and Pat (Duff) told me he shows a nice quick dash, so I waited ... once I got in the straight ... I waited till he was balanced and he did show that dash.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Heart Of The Citi): 9.00 out to 11.00.
Favourite (Judge Me Not): 2.50 out to 2.70 in to 2.50.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Heart (L. Rolls) blundered on jumping away. Kings Artist (L. Cassidy) and Black Morgan (P. Hammersley) had to be checked shortly after the start when tightened between Thorondo (K. Pope), which was taken in by Five Ways (J. Byrne), and Light Red (C. Reith), which shifted out slightly. Judge Me Not (S. Galloway) had a tendency to hang in in the early stages.

Five Ways, which was over-racing, shifted in leaving the 900m taking Pit Lane (S. Katsidis) in on to Khairesprit (B. El-Issa), which had to be steadied. Kyros (A. Spinks) and Intermac (T. Bell) raced wide throughout.

Near the 200m Mr Orient (J. Taylor) had to be steadied when momentarily tightened for room between Heart and Light Red which shifted out.

Approaching the finishing line Malela (A. Pattillo), in an endeavour to obtain clear running, shifted out resulting in Kings Artist being tightened for running between that horse and Intermac. Malela was then unable to obtain clear running for the remainder of the event.