RAND SEPT 05 - O’LONHRO’S FIRST GROUP SUCCESS

By HRO | Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Randwick, September 5, 2009.
Chelmsford Stakes (WFA, Group 2) - 1600m.
Track - Good. Time: 1-34.50.
1 O’Lonhro; 2 Miss Marielle; 3 Triple Honour.

After finishing runner up to Trusting and Swift Alliance at his previous two outings, it was O'Lonhro's turn to take the major prize by beating a somewhat out of form Group 2 field.

Having only his fifth start, Jay Ford positioned O'Lonhro in second place throughout before surging to the lead inside the 200m and holding his competitors at bay. Runner-up Miss Marielle increased her stud value by racking up another Group placing with a determined effort, while Triple Honour looked a serious contender with 200m to go but either condition or willingness gave out late.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Team trainer Michael Hawkes: “He dug deep today to his credit and Jay (Ford) rode him perfectly and it was great. Coming to the corner there he just eased out and once Jay got him balanced up on top of the rise and Triple Honour came at him, he dug deep like good horses do and hopefully we've got one. Today was his test and he's come through it great. We are aiming at the Epsom Hcp but we will see how we go.”

Jockey Jay Ford: He really put the righting on the wall in the Warwick Stakes (running second) and Trusting franked that by coming out and running a big race in the (Golden) Rose.

“He's loaded with ability. That's probably not the way to ride him but, given the pace of the race, that's where we ended up. I was pretty confident a long way out. He is still learning, like that's only his fifth start today. He was probably going to loom up and hit the front way too early and when they came up to me he hit the next gear and away he went.”

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Court Command shifted out at the start, taking Triple Honour out onto Vision And Power. Go Cart was slow to muster speed in the early stages.