DOOM SEPT 16 - THEN HE KISSED ME STRIKES ON DEBUT

By Matthew Grimson and Graham Potter | Friday, September 18, 2009

Doomben, September 16, 2009.
Track - Good 3. Rail - out 1.5m.
F&M Maiden Plate (Set weights) - 1110m. Time: 1-05.85.
1 Then He Kissed Me; 2 Pink Sapphire; 3 Seasons End.

When you only start your career in your five-year-old season there has to be an element of concern, but the Liam Birchley trained Then He Kissed Me made light work of dismissing that doubt to score an emphatic debut victory.

The mare landed in the leading line and apprentice jockey Chris McIver was content to allow another first-timer Hillside Magic to take up the running while he settled Then He Kissed me on the rail in a close-up second placing.

That was the position as the field turned for home. Hillside Magic kicked briefly while Then He Kissed Me took a few strides to find her rhythm. Once in full stride, Then He Kissed Me went past a weakening Hillside Magic and stretched away to have her race won by the 100m mark. Pink Sapphire and Season’s End made some ground late without ever looking likely to trouble the winner.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Liam Birchley: “Well, she’s got her issues. I’m glad she’s won her first start and won in town. I’m not sure how long she’ll last but at the moment things are well and hopefully are as well in the morning.

“She’s five years old having her first start so she’s obviously had problems. I haven’t had her all along. I only got her three months ago, so it’s just a matter of some horses deal with it better than others and it’s just a matter of seeing how she pulls up from day to day. Just arthritic changes and things like that, yeah.”

Jockey Chris McIver: “Yeah, the plan was we had a first starter ... had gate one, so we wanted to use it a little bit, just to try and get her the box seat. And it worked out a bit better than we thought because she jumped with them and no one really wanted to lead. So I was in the position to keep the others wide so they had to do more work and yeah, when I let her go down the straight she really found it and ran away from them. She has some potential for sure. She’ll win a few more.”

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
The start of this race was delayed when Lady Adamant became fractious in the barriers. The veterinary surgeon, who observed the filly's fractiousness in the barriers, deemed it was not necessary to remove Lady Adamant to conduct and examination as he was satisfied that Lady Adamant was fit to race.

Cross Stitched (B. El-Issa) and Blasko (D. Sparks) were slow to begin. Miss Rio (L. Cassidy) jumped outwards at the start, making contact with Drawn To Dubai (J. Byrne). Hallside Magic (M. Hughes) over-raced in the early and middle stages of the event. Drawn To Dubai was held up and unable to improve rounding the home turn and in the early stages of the straight. Corn Dolly (S. Bogenhuber) had a tendency to hang in in the home straight.

L. Cassidy, rider of Miss Rio, explained that rounding and upon entering the straight he was unable to improve due to him being in a tight position to the inside of Cross Stitched (B. El-Issa). L. Cassidy added that on entering the straight he directed his mount outwards in an endeavour to obtain clear running, however Cross Stitched, which was racing forward and to his outside, shifted in, resulting in him being held up for clear running. L. Cassidy further explained that he was again disappointed for clear running inside the 100m between My Rock (B. El-Issa) and Vinnies Joy (K. Banks), which shifted in under pressure. As a consequence of of these incidents, L. Cassidy stated he was unable to ride his mount right out as he normally would.

J. Byrne, rider of the 4th placegetter, Drawn To Dubai, will be interviewed regarding the riding of that horse in the run to the finish.

An inquiry was opened into B. Pengelly's handling of Season’s End. After taking evidence from B. Pengelly and trainer K. Kemp, the inquiry was adjourned to a date to be fixed.

A post-race veterinary examination of Cross Stitched revealed the filly was found to have blood in its mouth as a result of two dislodged tooth caps.