RAND SEPT 05 - MORE THAN GREAT BY A NOSE

By HRO | Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Randwick, September 5, 2009.
Ming Dynasty (Quality, Listed) - 1400m.
Track - Good.
Time: 1-21.03. New Course Record (beating Grand Armee’s time of 1-21.06)
1 More Than Great; 2 So You Think; 3 Exceed With Me.

It doesn't get any closer to a dead heat than the finish of this race but eventually the David Payne trained More Than Great got the verdict by the barest possible margin over the ultra impressive type So You Think.

Coming off a strong second to Denman in the Run to The Roses at his previous start, More Than Great got the gun run throughout on the leaders back before being given full bore before the 250m to burn off early leader Exceed With Me.

The race wasn't over yet though as So You Think pinned the ears back and showed genuine purpose over the concluding stages to just miss out. All honours must go to the winner, however the second horse is the one to follow out of the race as he continues to step up in distance.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Jockey Nash Rawiller: “I just tried not to panic. Look, it wasn't ideal ... it was an awkward draw. I just had to keep ticking over and working and working and working until we could sort of work our way in and then I was able to put him to sleep behind Exceed With Me down the back there. I think being forced to come out 100m before I wanted to just told over the last three strides, but the horse was very gallant.”

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Prior to declaring correct weight, the Stewards permitted the connections of the runner up, So You Think, to view the photo finish image. In addition the Stewards clarified with the judge that at no stage had he semaphored that the result was a dead heat.

P Robl (Onemorenomore) was reprimanded for shifting in approaching the 1200m when not fully clear of Chopped, resulting in that runner being taken in, causing So You Think to be momentarily crowded. In this incident, when being restrained off the heels of Onemorenomore, Chopped shifted out resulting in Definite Choice having to be restrained off the heels of that runner. Onemorenomore was inclined to get its head up and race a little ungenerously in the middle stages. Near the 200m Romanus shifted out and made contact with Chopped. A post race veterinary examination of Romanus did not reveal any abnormalities.