DOOM SEPT 26 - PIT LANE SCORES FROM POLE POSITION

By Graham Potter | Monday, September 28, 2009

Doomben, September 26, 2009.
Track - Good 3. Rail - out 3.5m.
Class 6 Plate (Set Weights) - 1615m. Time: 1-36.92.
1 Pit Lane; 2 Puccini; 3 Pass The Bubbly.

The Bryan Guy trained Pit Lane came home hard after making good use of his inside barrier to deny Puccini an end to end win by snatching victory in the last stride.

Jockey Brad Stewart settled the gelding in fifth then sixth as Puccini took the field down the back straight. Stewart was quick to improve Pit Lane’s position in the sweep to the turn. He chased the five-year-old up on the rail, saving ground, and the chestnut emerged in second spot when the field straightened for home. Pit Lane was a full stretch early and it took him the whole length of the straight to reel in Puccini ... and it got down to a really close call.

The third placed Pass The Bubbly paid a small part in Pit Lane’s victory. Pass The Bubbly also made a forward move early in the home straight and he raced up to get within half-a-length of Pit Lane on the outside. Pit Lane responded to his presence and the battle with Pass The Bubbly helped carry Pit Lane up towards Puccini and kept him honest all the way to the line.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Bryan Guy: “We’ve been waiting for these sort of races. In Class 6 races he gets 57 ... 58 kilos. When (trainer) Peter Moody had him in Melbourne at first, he ran a place in a Listed race down there only as a Class 2 horse. That’s why his ratings are up so high and that’s why he gets the high weights in the Class 6’s.

“At set weights today, because he is really only a Class 4 horse, he gets in with 54.5 ... and he had the good barrier at draw one as well. So, you know, everything fell in line for him today. He races well here. I think he races better here than he does at Eagle Farm.

“I don’t know if he really gets a mile. I think he is about a 1400m horse, but today he really gunned it out, which was great.”

Jockey Brad Stewart: “It’s a bit tricky that start there (the 1615m). The one alley ... any good draw is worth a lot ... so we were just able to use it and he was good enough to win. I got to a spot where I couldn’t do any better. I tell you what, I probably could have come off the fence about the 550 ... but I wouldn’t have won the race. Just the way I was tracking up, I thought I was better off to stay there ... and he fought at the end. He just dug in.”

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Shortly after the start Naadi (M. Cahill) was tightened for room between Charvicky (D. Browne) and Bringelly (S. Seamer), which shifted out. Approaching the 1500m Kings Artist (App M. Hellyer) was severely crowded for room between Pit Lane (B. Stewart) and Fat Possum (App C. McIver), both of which shifted ground. Future’s Dream (App J. Wood) raced wide throughout the event. App J. Wood the rider of 5th placegetter Future’s Dream was reminded of his obligations to ride his mounts out to the finish line.

M. Cahill the rider of Naadji reported that he was unable to improve his position when making the home turn due to being positioned behind Drumshanbo (L. Cassidy), which was under pressure at that stage. M. Cahill further added that after obtaining clear running in the early stages of the straight the gelding finished the race off well.

When questioned regarding the seemingly disappointing performance of Drumshanbo jockey L. Cassidy stated that due to the slow pace Drumshanbo over-raced and he felt this was a major contributor to the horse's disappointing performance.

A post race veterinary examination of Our Heart revealed the gelding was suffering from cardiac arrhythmia. Trainer T. Whittington was advised that Our Heart would be required to trial to the satisfaction of stewards and he would be required to produce a veterinary certificate including the results of an ECG before racing again.