RANDWICK, MARCH 5: ENGLISH - TOO FAST, TOO STRONG

By Graham Potter | Monday, March 7, 2016

Randwick, March 5, 2016.
HYLAND RACE COLOURS CHALLENGE STAKES.
Group 2. Three-year-olds and upwards. Standard Weight for Age - 1000m.
WINNER: ENGLISH (3 bf Encosta de Lago - Court).
Owners: Newhaven Park (Mgr: R J, So, J W & R Kelly, G A Walker & N S Agostini).

Trainer: Gai Waterhouse. Jockey: Tommy Berry.
Second: Kinglike. Third: Boss Lane.
Won by 0.30 lengths at a starting price $5.
Track: Good 3. Rail: True. Penetrometer: 4.96.
Time: 56.57. Last 600m: 33.89. Weight carried: 54kg.

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THE RUN OF THE RACE:

English was taken back to last early on with Berry content to let the filly roll along evenly some six lengths off Ball Of Muscle and Felines, or were setting the early target. The daughter of Encosta de Lago saved ground on the rail until the turn and then seemed to be in a spot of bother when trapped behind a line of horses for the first half of the straight.

Berry remained patient though and English was up for the challenge when the gap eventually opened up coming through the 200m mark. English’s response was immediate and, with another gentle shift to the inside at full speed, English was suddenly in the clear and she produced a finishing burst which was too hot for her rivals to handle.

Kinglike and Boss Lane also hit the line well but were no match for the ‘full of running winner’ on the day.

*English has now won three of his five starts and is unbeaten in two outings this preparation.

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WINNER FEEDBACK:

TRAINER GAI WATERHOUSE:

“Everything she seemed to do beforehand seemed to be the wrong thing, but she knows where the winning post is, doesn’t she? She has got an unbelievable turn of foot. “

JOCKEY TOMMY BERRY:

“She sweated up beforehand but that didn’t worry me because once we got around the track and behind the barriers she was almost dry on the neck again. She did throw me off but then she relaxed. She calmed down.

“She jumped ok. We got squeezed out at the start but I’d ridden her quiet at the trial and I was pretty confident that she would pick them up. She just needed the right run and thankfully we got it at the right time. Full credit to her and Gai and the owners. They’ve really taken their time with this filly and they’ve been rewarded now.”

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STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:

LORD OF THE SKY - jumped awkwardly, shifted out and made contact with English. Passing the 200m Lord Of The Sky, which was inclined to lay in, shifted in and initially made contact with Speak Fondly, resulting in Speak Fondly being taken in onto Rule The River, which shifted out. A short distance later English (T Berry), which was improving quickly, shifted in to obtain clear running to the inside of Ball Of Muscle, which then contributed to Lord Of The Sky having to be steadied away from the heels of Speak Fondly. T Berry was advised to exercise more care.

SHIRAZ - shortly after the start raced tight between English and Boss Lane, which was taken in
by Kinglike.

BOSS LANE - shortly after the start was steadied to avoid the heels of Kinglike.

OTTOMAN - shortly after the start became unbalanced by Speak Fondly, which shifted out, resulting in Ottoman becoming unbalanced.

SPEAK FONDLY - for some distance rounding the home turn raced in restricted room to the inside of Lord Of The Sky, which was taken in by Felines.

ENGLISH - the Club's Veterinary Officer reported that the filly kicked out in the swabbing stall, sustaining lacerations to the near-hind leg.

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