SCST SEPT 27 - HEADHUNTER PREVAILS IN TIGHT FINISH

By Graham Potter | Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Sunshine Coast, September 27, 2009.
Track - Good 3. Rail - out 4m.
3yo QTIS Handicap (Class 3) - 1200m. Time: 1-12.53.
1 Headhunter; 2 Andy Said; 3 Top Messiah.

Trainer Robert Sutton brought Headhunter down from Rockhampton for this QTIS race and he went home with the winning cheque after the three-year-old did enough to get the result, thus completing a hat-trick of wins from only four starts.

Jockey Damian Browne let Headhunter lope along happily in second spot behind the Lady Rich until the turn. The early leader was quickly a spent force and Browne pushed Headhunter into the lead on straightening.

The top weight Andy Said had tracked Headhunter from the break and he again matched Headhunter’s move and these two accelerated together and moved clear of the balance of the field to fight out a two-way contest.

Headhunter always held the advantage and, although the margin between the runners had diminished to just a short-head at the line, Andy Said could not fully make up the leeway on the Rockhampton visitor who was good enough to claim the result.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Robert Sutton: “Mate, he has just improved every time we have gone around. First-up wasn’t all that great, but ever since then he’s just been stepping up. I did think he was a lot better than he showed in his first start, but, as I say, as he is maturing he is just getting better and better.

“He had to fight a little bit in the finish. He was closer to the speed today. I would have rather he was back a little more, because last start he finished off really well. But, I’m still happy.”

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Andy Said (G. Geran) over-raced for some distance approaching the first turn.

A veterinary examination of Dancingwithangels (M. Hellyer), which did not finish the race off and appeared to be disappointing, revealed that the horse had bled from both nostrils. Under AR. 53A DANCINGWITHANGELS will be barred from racing for three months and must satisfactorily gallop 1000m before stewards.