IPSW OCT 01 - BOULDERS ADDS TO HIS REPUTATION

By Graham Potter | Saturday, October 3, 2009

Ipswich, October 1, 2009.
Track - Good 3. Rail - True.
Class 1 Handicap (C & G) - 1350m. Time: 1-20.74.
1 Boulders; 2 All Kiwi; 3 Lucky Omens.

Boulders made it two wins from two starts and he received a big thumbs up from both his trainer and jockey with regard to where his talent might take him.

The gelding was never on the track after jumping from a wide draw, but he still had the muscle to comprehensively out-power the opposition to the extent that only one other runner, All Kiwi, was able to pose any kind of threat in the home straight. Battle as All Kiwi might though, Boulders was simply too strong for his rival and the second win in as many starts was comfortably in the bank.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Trevor Bailey: “Two out of two. He’s a good horse. Where he ends up in the autumn I don’t know. I might put him away now. He might be our Derby horse or something for the Winter Carnival.

“He’s doing things like Stathi (Katisidis) said today. He’s making two or three runs on him in the race, but he’s relaxed and he’s bred to run a mile-and-a-half. He’s going to be above average.

“Not many go straight to a Class 1 and win. It doesn’t matter about the grade. He’s run just outside the Class Record. He‘s done everything I wanted him to do. I don’t think he is three until November, so I might even put him out now and just look after him.”

Jockey Stathi Katsidis: “Yeah, he’s a nice horse and he’ll get over ground too. He wants at least a mile or 2000m maybe.

“I was out four deep till probably the 900 and then I was three deep till probably the 700, but he is the sort of horse that looks after himself, as good horses do. Even though he was out wide he wasn’t doing it tough in himself and he relaxed nice.

“Then I got a little bit of a break for about 300m and then one attacked him again on the corner so I thought I’d let him go and got in front of him. Then I asked him for something at the 200m and he responded like a good horse.

“He’s a tough horse and he’s only young. He’s raced like an old horse. There’s a lot to like about him. If Trevor (Bailey) can look after him, you know ... he probably doesn’t want too many more starts this time in. I think putting him out would be a good idea. He could be an exceptional horse in the making.”

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Trainer G. Roberts was fined $100 for failing to notify the removal of bar plates from Pop Legend. Trainer T. Hall was fined $100 for presenting Mark One with blinkers, which was not part of the horse's racing gear.

Mythical King (M. Wood) blundered at the start. Lucky Omens (P. Hammersley) was slow to begin. Forest Lane (S. Bogenhuber) over-raced in the early stages. Near the 800m, All Kiwi (J. Wood) improved onto the heels of Dubai Oasis (A. Spinks) and shifted out abruptly on the track. After passing the 800m, Mythical King shifted out to avoid the heels of Boulders (S. Katsidis). Mythical King then raced wide for the remainder of the event.

For some distance after passing the 500m, Lucky Omens was held up behind Forest Lane, which had commenced to weaken. Lucky Omens then shifted to the outside of the heels of Forest Lane and made contact with the hind quarters of Pop Legend (N. Tomizawa). This incident was compounded by Forest Lane being inclined to hang out when weakening.

M. Hellyer, rider of Sarcastically, was questioned regarding the performance of the gelding today. M. Hellyer explained that Sarcastically did not feel comfortable when placed under pressure rounding the home turn and in the straight and, in his opinion, there may have been something amiss with the gelding. Stewards intend to interview trainer B. Smith regarding Sarcastically leaving the racecourse prior to the prescribed time.

Stable representative for trainer T. Gillespie, was advised that the nomination of Forest Lane for TAB meetings would be refused until the gelding established what stewards deem to be satisfactory form.