GOLD COAST, MAY 7 - COURT'S STAR AT HIS BRIGHTEST

By Graham Potter | Monday, May 9, 2016

BENCHMARK 80 HANDICAP – 1800m

After the $21 winner in the first race (Royal Occasion) punters got no respite as another $21 chance saluted in the second race on the card.

The John Wilcock trained Court‘s Star went looking for the lead in the early part and he had gained the ascendency passing the 1500m mark.

Court’s Star did have to put up with some inconvenience mid-race as firstly Surface Tension and the Kobi Creek tried to apply some pressure, but at no stage was he headed.

Turning for home Court’s Star held a lead of a length-and-a-half. Surface Tension and Kobi Creek were already beaten but Cannongate and Col ‘N’ Lil were the new threats on the scene.

Both set out strongly after the long-time frontrunner.

Cannogate was the first to cry ‘enough’. Col ‘N’ Lil kept coming and two swoopers Mister Lebrock (who had run an almost identical come from behind race pattern to the first race winner Royal Occasion) and Walhann were charging late ... but Anthony Allen had rated Court’s Star to perfection and he got the four-year-old gelding home with a 0.20 lengths to spare.

TRAINER JOHN WILCOCK:

“He had a slow recovery after his last start (when starting favourite and beaten by 11.10 lengths over the same track and distance).

“We did some blood. There was nothing radically wrong with it. We just backed off him for a couple of days and then went back to training him the way he should be trained and hoping that he would be ridden the way he should be.

“He loves to get out and stride along without being pulled about like he was last start in two or three runs during the race.

“Today we were travelling well. We had a lap full of horse coming to the turn. I said to my partner, I said ... ‘gee this thing is travelling. We’ve got them off the bit, most of them, coming for home.

“It did surprise me that he led all the way. He’s never given me that indication before that he could lead all of the way ... although his old man (Court Command) was a front-runner.”

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:

MR LEBROCK – Slow to begin and then slow to muster speed in the early stages despite the efforts of its rider. Laid in under pressure over the concluding stages.

FLYING CHARGER – Began awkwardly. Raced wide throughout.

COURT’S STAR – Began awkwardly.

COASTAL GEM – Steadied when tightened for room shortly after the start. Held up over the final 100m.

SURFACE TENSION – Raced wide in the early stages before being ridden forward to settle outside the leader.

FOREVER CRAZY – Leaving the 900m had to be steadied when placed in restricted room to the inside of WALHAAN. A post-race veterinary examination of the mare revealed no significant abnormalities.

KOBI CREEK – Raced 3 wide without cover throughout.

AVALANCHES – Raced wide throughout.

App J. Oliver (COL ‘N’ LIL) was fined $300.00 for excessive use of the whip prior to the 100m.

WALHAAN – A post-race veterinary examination revealed the gelding to have sustained a laceration to the off-hind fetlock after being galloped on.

*Court’s Star had finished as a well beaten favourite in his previous start. The relevant stewards report extract from that race reads: ‘When questioned as to the performance jockey M. McGuren stated that when caught wide early he was obliged to ride the gelding forward so as to settle outside the leader. Notwithstanding this fact jockey McGuren was very disappointed in the gelding’s performance as it was under pressure passing the 600m. Jockey McGuren was of the opinion that the gelding may have failed to handle the short 8 day back up from its last start at Ipswich. A post-race veterinary examination revealed the gelding to have a poor post-race recovery.

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