RAND SEPT 26 - SIX-IN-A-ROW FOR DENMAN

By HRO | Monday, September 28, 2009

Randwick, September 26, 2009.
Track - Good. Rail - True.
Stan Fox Stakes (Group 2 - Set Weights) - 1400m. Time: 1-23.82
1 Denman; 2 Run For Naara; 3 More Than Great.

Denman, the $1.35 favourite, kept punters happy as well as keeping his family pride intact when, like his sire Lonhro and grand-sire Octaganol before him, he added his name to the honour roll for the Group 2 Stan Fox Stakes.

After jumping well, jockey Kerrin McEvoy was happy to sit behind the front-running El Sonador in the five horse field before joining the lead soon after straightening. McEvoy nursed the colt up the rise before asking for the supreme effort at the 200m. Although he did not dash away as some expected, the result was never in doubt. How much more was in the tank is the great unknown. This win made it six in a row for Denman who will now target the Caulfield Guineas.

Runner up Run For Naara came from last with a solid effort while More Than Great, who was coming off the back of a track record run, also chased strongly again.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Peter Snowden: "This sort of race we had no option but to be positive and make sure we made our own luck, but I'm telling you he's a far better horse if he sits off, let him go through his gears and he drops on them late...you'll see a different horse. What he is doing today ... that's just talent. That's all it is. When he is ridden the right way you'll see a special win.

“When you are on the best horse, you ride him the best way ... out of trouble, be up there on the speed and make your own luck. Kerrin (McEvoy) did the right thing. He did everything right (for today) but, as I said earlier, he is a different horse and a better horse ridden back off them.”

Jockey Kerrin McEvoy "He's learning. He bounced well today and the other horses didn't show much speed so I was happy to stride and sit second and once he switched off the race was his. You know, he kicked well. It was a nice effort.

“He's probably better chasing horses and as I said last time he can get to the front and just have a bit of a look around. We are all looking forward to the Caulfield Guineas. He got here fresh and well today and that will just take the edge off him."

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
When questioned concerning Turf Express being ridden behind the speed, B Shinn stated that he had no specific instructions, but when Denman and El Sonador went forward from the barrier and the pace was genuine, he elected to take a trail.

McEvoy