DOOM AUG 22 - SARTHEMARE BACK ON SONG

By Graham Potter | Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Doomben, August 22, 2009.
Track - Good 3. Rail - out 2.5m.
Fillies & Mares 1MW Handicap - 1200m. Time: 1-10.06.
1 Sarthemare; 2 Falling Star; 3 Lilleelavee.

In February 2008 Sarthemare won the Listed Black Opal Stakes in Canberra over 1200m beating Typhoon Fury and De Lightning Ridge. She followed that with a sixth place finish in the Group 3 Sweet Embrace Stakes over 1200m at Randwick, when finishing 5.50 lengths behind Stripper, and a seventh place finish in the Group 2 Magic Night Stakes over 1200m at Rosehill, when a tidy 1.90 lengths off Portillo. She then completed her first prep with an eye-catching third placing, just 0.30 lengths behind Miss Independent in the Inglis Classic (over 1200m) to round off a promising two-year-old campaign.

Sarthemare’s five race three-year-old campaign was less encouraging. Only one third place finish against four unplaced runs - although one of her losses was against Samantha Miss in the Group 3 Silver Shadow Stakes - meant her career was marking time.

A change of ownership led to a change of stable and trainer Danny Williams bringing the four-year-old up to Queensland where she saluted in the first start of her new campaign with a facile end to end victory.

She will be an interesting runner going forward.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Danny Williams: “She’s shown a lot of ability. I followed her career as a two-year-old and I thought very highly of her. She had some very tough runs and should have won a couple of races ... good races like the Inglis Classic and one of the good two-year-old races, but she just had no luck.

“I’ve had her for about thirteen weeks. The mare went through the sale ring in a ‘Tried Sale’ in Adelaide. The new owner asked if I would train the horse. I was just happy to take the horse. It had good form. She raced well as a two-year-old and I thought she was ultra-impressive without winning a decent race apart from the Black Opal.

“I brought her up with me from scratch and she’s been up here the whole time.” (Williams is based at Goulburn). She trialled at Deacon on Tuesday. We didn’t ask very much of her. She actually got away in condition. We felt we needed that trial and we didn’t knock her about.

“It was a good result. Before this she’d had one win out of eleven starts and it’s good to see her winning again.

“There were gear changes here, but that was not the issue. She’s had a lot of problems with her feet. We’ve sort of corrected that ... well, you know, not one hundred percent ... but we are on our way to correcting it. That’s the big change ... not the gear. Ah look, they had tongue-ties, blinkers and whatever on her but the problem just came down to her feet really.

“I was a little bit concerned about her fitness today. She has been galloping really well and that was my only concern ... with her fitness today. There is a $100000 race here in a fortnight and with that run under her belt hopefully she’ll be competitive in a fortnight’s time.”

Jockey Michael Cahill: “I’d never been on her back before, but he (Trainer Danny Williams) is a good judge. He said before the race he thought only her condition could beat her. Danny said she had the habit of missing the kick. Fortunately she jumped well today so she very much put herself straight into it. At the end she heard that one coming on the inside and she chased harder.

“She obviously has got a touch of ability about here. She has won a pretty good race prior to today so maybe she can go on with it.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Sarthemare): 9.00 out to 10.00
Favourite (Lilleelavee): 2.50 in to 2.20 out to 2.25. Finished third.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Frisco Miss (J. Taylor) over-raced in the early stages. Seething Duck (A. Spinks) raced ungenerously for a short distance approaching the first turn. Near the 700m Falling Star (L. Cassidy) improved up on to the heels of Sleek Repeat (M. Hellyer) and when being steadied shifted out and made contact with Frisco Miss, resulting in Falling Star becoming unbalanced. Awase Ougi (L. Herne) raced wide three wide for the entire event.

Stewards sought an explanation from jockey S. Katsidis regarding his riding of Lilleelavee in that he positioned the mare in a more handy position than it had raced at its most recent starts. S. Katsidis stated that today's race appeared to be somewhat devoid of speed and after beginning well he decided his best option was to attempt to take up a position close to the lead and in reflection he felt that the sectional times vindicated his decision. The explanation was accepted.

A post-race veterinary examination of Sleek Repeat revealed the horse to be lame in the off-foreleg. Trainer R. Coveney will be advised that he must produce a veterinary certificate of fitness for the horse before it is permitted to race again.