DOOM AUG 29 - SOMMERSEA DRIVE IN TOP GEAR

By Matthew Grimson and Graham Potter | Monday, August 31, 2009

The Trevor Miller trained Sommersea Drive scored the tenth win of his career when he came home under a super confident ride by Michael Cahill.

Cahill let Sommersea Drive slide early. The five-year-old settled in second position. He tracked the front-running Myagi to the turn. He went up to eyeball the leader on straightening and then pulled away in an early play for victory.

Southerly Impact, who was always handy, put in a concentrated effort along the inside running rail but Sommersea Drive had that one covered all the way up the straight and he kicked on in comfortable fashion to earn a well deserved change of fortune after having had to settle for a consolation prize in his recent starts.

Doomben, August 29.
Open Handicap - 1350m. Time: 1-19.73.
Track - Good 3. Rail - out 5.5m.
1 Sommersea Drive; 2 Southerly Impact; 3 Bitabiff

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Trevor Miller: “Lately he’s been very unlucky in the sense that he has run into a couple of very good horses (Albert The Fat and Court Command). You know, just a touch of luck hasn’t gone his way. There is a race in a fortnight at Eagle Farm, but we’ll just have a talk about what to do, but there is one at Eagle Farm in a fortnight ... over 1400 ... a nice one.”

Jockey Michael Cahill: “Yeah, he’s been a bit of a tricky horse to ride, as his connections know and Trevor (Miller) understands. I should have won the Caloundra Guineas on him as a three year-old. It was the first time I ever rode the horse. He just needs to have a free run to be able to get rolling and fortunately things worked out for him here today.”

It was just over a year ago when Sommersea Drive came to the fore when winning three-in-a-row, following his fourth place finish in the Sunshine Coast Guineas. Cahill partnered the gelding on two of those occasions.

Cahill: “Yeah, it was just before I went to Singapore and just after the Caloundra Guineas. I won two on the trot on him. If he can have a good clear run from the 600 he’s hard to get past.”

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Striking Victory became cast in the barriers just prior to the start. A subsequent veterinary examination cleared the gelding to start. Morning Colours (L. Cassidy) was slow into stride.

Leaving the 1200m, Southerly Impact (O. Turpin) got its head up and raced ungenerously and shifted in despite the efforts of its rider, resulting in Striking Victory (J. Wood) having to be checked. The racing manners of Southerly Impact were drawn to the attention of trainer Mr D. Baker.

Soon after straightening, Morning Colours (L. Cassidy) was held up at the heels of the tiring Striking Victory. A post-race veterinary examination of Myagi failed to reveal any significant abnormalities.

When questioned regarding the performance of Cocktail Supreme, M. Hellyer stated that the horse was somewhat hesitant on jumping away and shortly after the start he elected to endeavour to get cover rather than be caught three deep. He added that as a result of restraining the horse early, Cocktail Supreme settled back further in the field than anticipated. He added that the horse was not entirely suited by the tempo of today's race and when Public Nuisance did not improve in the middle stages when the pace quickened, he was unable to improve at that point of the race.