EF SEPT 05 - D’ELCATRAZ BACK IN WINNING MODE

By Matthew Grimson and Graham Potter | Monday, September 7, 2009

Eagle Farm, September 5, 2009.
Track - Good 3. Rail - out 1m.
1MW Handicap - 2106m. Time: 2-13.67.
1 D'Elcatraz; 2 Beartracker; 3 Eureka.

The Paula Campbell trained D’Elcatraz scored an end to end victory to claim his second victory from his last three starts.

There was a hint of a distance doubt going into the race but D’Elcatraz, who much better weighted than when soundly beaten last time, shrugged off that concern by taking control of the race from the break and dictating the course of events to his own advantage.

Jockey Ken Pope rated the five-year-old perfectly and he was able to easily shake off the persistent challenge of Lander halfway up the home straight while keeping enough in the tank to be able to keep the faster finishing Beartracker at bay.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Paula Campbell: “He had 57.5kg the other day and today he dropped to 53.5. The horse that beat him the other day (Eureka) ... it went around with 51. So we are more back in the weight where we want to be. He (Ken Pope) rode him a treat. Lovely ride.

“We were actually going to run him in the 1800m. Then the weights came out and we thought, no we have to run him in this and try and make the distance. We weren’t worried about the distance at all. I think he just over-raced a little bit in behind the other day. We didn’t bowl along today. It was great.

“He won three-in-a-row when he first came over here (from New Zealand), yeah ... so he’s won five for us now. I’m quite keen for him actually to have a break through the heat, so if I can talk the owner into it, that’s what I will be doing. The track is going to get hard.”

Jockey Ken Pope: “I got him to steady up a bit which was good you know. He did set a nice pace. They weren’t going to take him on. He was comfortable where he was. Started increasing (the tempo) from the half-mile onwards. Just sort of let him go a little bit quicker, a little bit quicker and by the time we straightened we were at our top. In saying that, it was without being under pressure, so it was a good effort.

“He was slightly inclined to shift off the track slightly. The horse felt like he was giving me one hundred per cent without having to hit him. I gave him probably two backhanders early in the piece and he responded nice to them. But, when that horse came up, I felt he was going to kick himself and I just nursed him along hands and heals. I thought just thought it unnecessary to hit him today.

“He’s probably a little bit fitter now than the last time I rode him. I rode him a couple of times early ... I think it was twice, I’m not sure now, I think it was twice ...and I had two thirds on him. He just sort of peaked a bit. He probably could have won one of them but he just wasn’t one hundred per cent fit enough. Larry (Cassidy) jumped on him the other day, he won well. He rode him the other day again and he got held up on him and it sort of cost him a bit. Today I was able to fully dictate terms and kick away from them. So, no, that was a good effort.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (D’Elcatraz): 7.00 out to 8.50.
Favourite (Eureka): 2.50 out t0 2.70.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Rounding the home turn, Uncle Jan (R. Goltz) was held up and unable to improve. After passing the 400m, Beartracker (M. Speers) shifted out to improve and brushed Mr Gold Fire (J. Keating). D'Elcatraz (K. Pope) was inclined to shift out under pressure over the final 100m. After riding in race 1, K. Pope was examined by the club's doctor and stood down from his remaining engagements.