DOOM AUG 29 - BACKSTABBER BURIES THEM

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

Doomben, August 29, 2009.
Track - Good 3. Rail - out 5.5m.
2MW Handicap - 1020m. Time: 0-59.19
1 Backstabber; 2 Monashee Knight; 3 Cardio.

The Brett Dodson trained Backstabber continued his good work when he easily accounted for his opposition to score his fifth win of his career. The six-year-old, who had been plagued with leg problems, was only having the ninth start. His high strike-rate stands as a testament to his inherent ability, albeit that his progress and options has been stifled by on-going injury concerns.

Trainer Brett Dodson certainly has no regrets about the way Backstabber has gone since joining his stable after being out of action for a full ten months. Four wins from five starts tells the happy story.

Here, Backstabber jumped right onto the back of the early leader Crackerjack Fortune and happily tracked him to the turn before jockey Glen Colless gave the chestnut the green light to go. Backstabber responded in emphatic fashion, drawing clear as he liked halfway up the straight to open up a winning advantage.

Monashee Knight, who had to switch off the rail and out across heels at the top of the straight to line up a clear run, had a last shot at the winner, but his challenge had been launched from too far back and he had to settle for second place.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Brett Dodson: “He is a lovely horse ... he’s just got no legs. He’s had a few problems with his joints and seisamoid trouble, and yeah, he’s holding together well, which we’re happy with, and getting a few results. He could always gallop we just had to get him right.

“He is definitely a day-by-day proposition. He doesn’t need much work at all. Since he started at Eagle Farm a couple of weeks ago he has had a saddle on once. So, yeah we’re just day-to-day. With a horse like him that doesn’t do a lot of work ... does a lot of swimming ... it’s hard to know exactly where he is.

“When he pulled up the other day I could see he really needed that one. It just tightened him up. He hasn’t done anything since, but that run was enough to keep him going. He’s holding together alright and I was very happy with him last time in too. I tipped him out after he won at Eagle Farm (when beating Hail Free in March) ... I tipped him out with all his legs together.

“That’s why I got him. He’d had so many problems. He’s cracked a seisamoid and had suspensory problems so they sent him up to me and said, try the beach and swimming and see how you go with him. So I’ve had him for his last two preparations for five starts and four wins. So he certainly hasn’t disappointed. The owners ... before I brought him in, they’d nearly given up hope on him. Whatever we get from now on is a bonus.

“At this stage we aren’t looking to take him to a higher level. We’ll have a look and see what’s around. Like I said, whatever we get from now is a bonus. We just happy to get him back to the track, you know.”

Jockey Glen Colless: “Yeah, everything panned out. We sort of came out of the two gate and just let Scott (Seamer on Crackerjack Fortune) go to the front and just sat off him. He did a good job. He sort of knuckled down good the last little bit. Yeah, there will probably be improvement in him. You know, he was a little bit on the fresh side today. I think Brett has just kept him a little bit fresh to run the 1000. You see him in the enclosure and going to the gates, you know, he gave me a bit of a hard time. So once he gets that run or two now he might settle down a touch.”

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
The start was delayed when the barrier control bit on Cartoon Character required readjustment by the barrier attendants. Monashee Knight (J. Byrne) blundered on jumping away and missed the start. Leaving the 800m, Cardio (M. Hellyer), when being restrained, got its head up and refused to settle when apprentice Hellyer attempted to position the horse with cover behind Backstabber (G. Colless). Departure(A. Spinks) raced three wide for the majority of the event.

Dodson