DOOM SEPT 09 - INNOCENZIO TOUGHS IT OUT

By Graham Potter | Thursday, September 10, 2009

Doomben, September 9, 2009.
Track - Dead 4. Rail - Out 9.5m.
Class 4 Handicap - 1200m. Time: 1-11.01.
1 Innocenzio; 2 Life's Short; 3 Queen Of Asia.

The Mel Eggleston trained Innocenzio made the most of his number one alley to get the run of the race all the way to the turn. On straightening, jockey Kevin Forrester sent Innocenzio after the free-running Star Of Minto.

The six-year-old chestnut took a while to reel in the leader but he found the extra gear required to do so and he hit the front at the inside the 150m. He then had to be hard-ridden to ward off a line of horses spread across the track, who were closing fast at the line, but his all around effort got its reward as Innocenzio held on the score by a 0.20 length margin.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Mel Eggleston: “The barrier allowed him to have a lovely run in the race. Give Kev (Forrester) his due. He rode him good. That’s why I stuck with him. It does go good for him this horse. He is a bit of a tricky horse and he’s had a few problems. He’s had a few leg problems ... just knees. He’s had crook knees.

“We’ve done a lot of things with him. He’s had all the injections, where they take the blood out, whatever it is. So today was good. He showed a bit of ticker at the end and I think he’s got improvement in him.”

Jockey Kevin Forrester: “Yeah, I’ve had a couple of wins on him. He had a good barrier today. It was easy all the way. It was a pretty good win.”

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Jovelon (D. Brown) was held up for clear running in the straight until leaving the 200m.

K. Forrester, rider of Innocenzio, pleaded guilty to a charge of careless riding in that near the 150m he permitted his mount to shift in when not sufficiently clear of Falling Star (L. Cassidy), resulting in Falling Star having to be checked. K. Forrester was suspended from riding in races for a period covered by 6 meetings, to commence at midnight, 12 September and to expire at midnight, 20 September.

Over the concluding stages, Life’s Short (B. El-Issa) was inclined to lay in and made contact with Queen Of Asia (O. Turpin). General Purple (S. Galloway), which was racing to the inside of Queen Of Asia, was inclined to shift in away from that horse and made contact with Jovelon. At My Command was caught three wide on the first turn and raced three wide throughout.