IPSW OCT 01 - CHANGE OF FORTUNE FOR MORSECODIAN

By Graham Potter | Saturday, October 3, 2009

Ipswich, October 1, 2009.
Track - Good 3. Rail - True.
Maiden Handicap - 1666m. Time: 1-42.65.
1 Morsecodian; 2 Delezio; 3 Minashee.

The Kelso Wood trained Morsecodian earned a favourable change of fortune when he pushed up on the inside of Delezio and stayed committed enough to claim the result by a 0,20 length margin.

The grey gelding had finished runner-up on three consecutive occasions prior to this run and a similar result was very much a possibility halfway up the straight as Morsecodain moved forward to join issue with Delezio.

The latter had moved to the lead at the head of the straight when the early leader Young Innocence hit the wall. At that stage Morsecodian, who had been given the run of the race in the box seat by apprentice jockey Michael Hellyer, slipped through into second place. With Delezio offering a gap along the inside rail, the question came down to whether Morsecodian was brave enough to take that opening and good enough to finish it off.

Morsecodian response was positive to both queries and he gradually got the better of Delezio to land an overdue win.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Kelso Wood: “I’ll probably get him up around the 2000m now, or a bit further, because he gives me every indication that he’ll get over a bit of ground.”

Apprentice jockey Michael Hellyer: “Yeah, I missed the start, but the plan was always to go forward on him. Lead ... it didn’t matter ... sit off it ... it didn’t matter. To be honest, I didn’t want to be pocketed in. He did get over-racing pretty badly last start when he got pocketed in.

“In saying that, today he settled well. They went along at a good clip. He settled well in behind them. Just coming to the 400m, when I wanted to make my move, he hit a flat spot. He is only a small horse. He had a big weight on his back and it took him a long time to pick up, but once he did pick up he did it well enough.

“It took him a long time to get there ... to get past the other horse (Delezio). He’s used to following something past the post and not being the first one there. No, it’s all good. Kelso (Wood) has done an enormous job with him. He is not an easy horse to win a race on and it’s a relief that he finally has broken through (in his sixteenth start) and I do believe he will go on from here.”

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Upon arrival at the barriers, Canyon Road was examined by the veterinary surgeon and cleared to race. The start of this race was delayed when Straight As A Die was unable to be loaded. The gelding was subsequently declared a late scratching by order of the stewards at 2.54 pm. Trainer T. Gorring was advised that he would be required to obtain two further barrier certificates for Straight As A Die before it is permitted to race again. A post race veterinary examination of Straight As A Die failed to reveal any significant abnormalities.

Magic Cashel (S. Katsidis) was slow to begin. Courage Tattoo (N. Evans) was tightened for room shortly after the start by Young Innocence (J. Taylor), which was taken out by Dubai Strom (J. Bowditch). After passing the 500m until near the 400m, Morsecodian (M. Hellyer) was held up and had to be steadied off the heels of Young Innocence (J. Taylor), which had commenced to weaken. Rounding the home turn, Burns Bright (J. Wood) was held up and unable to obtain clear running.

Over the concluding stages, Magic Cashel shifted out and took Ancient Dream (L. Cassidy) out on to El Fantasy (N. Tomizawa).