EF AUG 26 - PUCCINI MAKES IT TWO-IN-A-ROW

By Graham Potter | Friday, August 28, 2009

Eagle Farm, August 26, 2009.
Track - Good 3. Rail - out 10m.
Class 3 Handicap - 1500m. Time: 1-30.05.
1 Puccini; 2 Lucyrox; 3 Predominator.

The Helen Page trained Puccini made it two-in-a-row in his fourth start for his new stable. The was plenty to like about the win in theory as Puccini gave his nearest challenger 7kg at the weights and a 0.80 length beating at the finish.

The downside is the jockey feedback that the chestnut insists on pulling too hard, a factor which could complicate the way forward. The breeding is there though and above average ability has been hinted at ... meaning Puccini could be an interesting horse to follow, particularly as he gets up in distance.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Helen Page: “We’ve just brought him up slowly. I didn’t trial him. I just gave him a few starts at the Gold Coast and got him conditioned, because he was rather big in condition. He is a beautifully bred horse. Two-in-a-row is always good. He (Jim Byrne) rode him well didn’t he? He rated him very well.”

Jockey Jim Byrne: “Originally they thought he was a horse that potentially could be up to a Derby distance ... but he just goes a bit too hard, you know. Hence he sets a pretty good tempo and in most of his races he leads. They got to have a pretty strong tempo for him not to lead.

“That’s the general rule mate. He will be leading because he goes too hard. He is one of those horses you have just got to let roll sort of thing ... and once he starts to pull, he doesn’t give you too much back, so you just kinda let him roll.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Puccini): 3.00 out to 3.80.
Favourite (Predominator): 2.10 out to 2.25. Finished third.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Runjana required replating behind the barriers. Norse Code (A. Pattillo) and Lucyrox (C McIver) were a little slow to begin. Predominator (M. Helyer) was inclined to lay in under pressure in the run to the finish. Norse Code, which raced three wide throughout, compounded over the concluding stages. A post race veterinary examination failed to reveal any abnormalities.