DOOM AUG22 - SHADY PROSPECT TO THE FORE

By Graham Potter | Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Doomben, August 22, 2009.
Track - Good 2. Rail - out 2.5m.
Class 6 Handicap (4yo and up) - 1615m. Time: 1-37.83.
1 Shady Prospect; 2 Charvicky; 3 Eddie Rapido.

Shady Prospect continues to prosper under the care of trainer Lawrie Mayfield-Smith.

The five-year-old scored his second successive victory under an astute ride from apprentice Luke Rolls who settled the chestnut just off the speed until punching his mount forward into the leading line as the field straightened for home.

The race effectively came down to a two-horse contest in the straight as Shady Prospect and Charvicky joined issue in a spirited stride for stride battle to the line where the photo favoured Shady Prospect by the narrowest of margins.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Lawrie Mayfield-Smith: “They wanted to scratch him under the trees there before the race. He’s got a lump on his knee. The reason we got this horse cheap was that he was going to Hong Kong but he failed the veterinary ... he had a chip in his knee. So I said, let’s just take the punt ... I won’t work him hard. So I bought him out of New Zealand.

“He has never been lame since the day I got him. He’s got a bubble ... a lump on his knee. They noticed the lump today. He’s always had the lump. I said he is not lame when you trot him. They said, no, he’s not lame when you trot him, but the first step he takes when he pulls up, he puts in a funny step. Anyway, they passed him to run.”

Apprentice jockey Luke Rolls: “Yeah, it’s his second win in a row at the track. I don’t think he is the type you’ll want to lead on, but he sits off the pace and really finds the line.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Shady Prospect): 9.00 out to 10.00.
Favourite (Reizarb): 3.60 out to 3.90 in to 3.80. Finished ninth.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Shady Prospect was examined by the Club's veterinary surgeon prior to the start and passed fit to run. Eddie Rapido (J. Taylor) was slow to begin.

Morgalicious (L. Cassidy) raced wide in the early stages before improving forward and assuming the lead near the 700m. Sandton (J. Byrne) and Reizarb (S. Katsidis) bumped leaving the 200m.

When questioned regarding the seemingly disappointing performance of Reizarb, S. Kadsidis stated that he was able to position the horse in a good spot one off the fence, however added that at a point near the 600m the horse to him did not feel like a winning chance and this was confirmed when Come Said The Boy (B. El-Issa), which was racing to his inside, was able to move him wider on the track. S. Katsidis added that in his opinion the horse did not run out the 1600m today. Trainer L. Brazier could not offer any explanation for the horse's poor performance today and indicated that he would recommend that the horse go for a spell. A post-race veterinary examination of Reizarb immediately following the event failed to reveal any abnormalities, however a further veterinary examination of Reizarb revealed the horse to be showing post-race distress and suffering from the thumps.

The Club's veterinary surgeon reported that Morgalicious sustained a laceration to the offside hock.