EF SEPT 19 - CROSSTHESTART EARNS TRIP DOWN SOUTH

By Graham Potter | Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Eagle Farm. September 19, 2009.
Track - Good 3. Rail - out 6m.
Class 6 Plate - 2136m. Time: 2-14.41.
1 Crossthestart; 2 Beartracker; 3rd Uncle Jan.

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Crossthestart): 2.30 out to 2.40.
The winner was the favourite.

The Bevan Laming trained Crossthestart earned a trip down South when he won in convincing fashion. It was the gelding’s fourth win in his last six starts.

Jockey Jim Byrne positioned Crossthestart in fifth position early in the back straight but when the pace slackened going through the 1300m mark, Crossthestart was pushed out wide on the track. Byrne responded immediately by driving his mount forward and crossing to settle again, this time just outside the leader Beartracker.

Crossthestart went up alongside Beartracker on straightening and then gradually applied pressure. Beartracker did fight back briefly, but Crossthestart always carried too much fire-power for his rival. Such was his superiority that Crossthestart did not have to fully open up the throttle in the final run to the line, yet he still scored by a decisive 3.00 length margin.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Bevan Laming: “He relaxed good ... found the line. That was just what we were looking for. He’ll go to the Metropolitan. If he doesn’t go there he’ll go to the Herbert Power in Melbourne. Those are the two options. Whichever one ... he’s on track to tackle them down south. I think the stayers in Sydney might be weaker than the ones in Melbourne. Before today we were number forty-four in the Metrop. Now we are number thirty-three, because he will get a penalty for winning that race.

“I’ll just have a good look at the opposition. We’ve got two weeks to the Metropolitan ... three weeks to the Herbert Power. I’ll have a talk to (owner) Dick (Karreman) and we’ll take it from there.

“I’m not worried about the longer distances. I had his full brother. He was a bit slower, but he won a 2200 race at Eagle Farm. This fellow’s got a better motor.”

Jockey Jim Byrne: “Yeah, look, you know, he is a serious horse. He keeps on improving and improving and improving. Just early on in his career he lacked that confidence sort of thing. He’s a horse beforehand you thought was very one dimensional ... you had to get him back and let him finish off ... but every-time we step him out now, we’ve tried something different every-time sort of thing. As I said, he just keeps on improving you know. He is a nice horse in the making.

“The 2400m in the Metrop won’t be a problem for him. In those sort of races they don’t pull up like we do up here. They are truly run and this horse here just puts himself to sleep. His work here the other Wednesday was really good ... and now this win. The horse is definitely showing he is a stayer in the making.”

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Jedi Starfighter (M. Cahill) over-raced when racing wide in the early stages. Near the 1300m, Strawberry Ripple (M. Hellyer), which was over-racing at the heels of Estrellito (S. Katsidis), shifted out, taking Crossthestart (J. Byrne) three wide. J. Byrne, rider of Crossthestart, was then obliged to allow his mount to improve forward to a position outside the leader. Strawberry Ripple continued to over-race for some distance thereafter.

An inquiry was opened into the reason for apprentice M. Hellyer being dislodged from Strawberry Ripple near the 400m. After taking initial evidence from S. Katsidis, rider of Estrellito, M. Cahill, rider of Jedi Starfighter and S. Seamer, rider of Coral Flight, the inquiry was adjourned to a date to be fixed. As a result of this incident, some inconvenience was caused to Jedi Starfighter, and Coral Flight (S. Seamer), which was following, was checked and shifted ground. M. Hellyer was unable to fulfil his remaining engagements. After passing the 200m, Tora Sand was inconvenienced by the riderless Strawberry Ripple.