FLEM 03 - EFFICIENT GRABS TURNBULL STAKES

By Graham Potter | Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Flemington, October 3, 2009.
Track - Good 3. Rail - Out 9m entire circuit.
Turnbull Stakes (Group 1) - 2000m. Time: 2-01.60.
1 Efficient; 2 Predatory Pricer; 3 Scenic Shot.

Efficient, the 2007 Melbourne Cup winner, underlined his class and rocked his rivals to the core when jockey Nicholas Hall brought the gelding with a late charge down the outside to snare Predatory Pricer right on the line to take out the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes over 2000m at Flemington.

Both horse and rider were in complete unison about what they needed to do in the closing stages and the way Efficient pushed his head out on the line was all about the combination of the superior class and character which elevates good horses to the next level.

The line-up for the Turnbull was intimidating. Hall could do no better than to let Efficient run his own race and he allowed the six-year-old to settle a long way off the early speed which was set by the powerful, frontrunner Maldivian. Maldivian held court all the way to the turn with Red Lord, sitting on his heels, Scenic Shot, who was held wide throughout, and Predatory Pricer, who had the run of the race along the inside, being the closest runners to the leader.

As expected, Maldivian kept finding on straightened. At that stage Red Lord was put under pressure and Scenic Shot appeared to mark time for a moment. That allowed Predatory Pricer to emerge as the obvious main danger to Maldivian. Meanwhile, Hall, although wide, saved what ground he could on Efficient until the last possible moment and then he switched out around heels shortly after entering the straight giving the grey a clear run to the line.

Win or lose, Maldivian is a formidable opponent. He gives nothing away and if you want to get past him, you have to earn your way there. Inside the final 250m Predatory Pricer set about getting that outcome. The four-year-old closed on his older rival. He was level with Maldivian at the 100m and edged ahead inside the final 75m. It looked as if jockey Dwyane Dunn had combined the run of the race with the perfect finish to set up a Group 1 victory, but Predatory Pricer was, in turn, about to be shot down by Efficient.

Efficient had rallied well mid-straight and built winning momentum from the 150m mark. The fast finishing gelding still needed the desire to complete the ambush though and a thrust of the head in the last two strides decided the matter as he foiled a great effort by Predatory Pricer, who was relegated to second place on the line.

Scenic Shot got his second wind and kept plugging away to score a typical, character-filled third placing.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Jockey Nicholas Hall: “(Owner) Lloyd (Williams) gave me some of my first rides and he has always kicked my career along at crucial points and he’s done it again today.
“Lloyd left the run pretty much up to me. He said to be about midfield and moving off the backs of them at the 600m ... which left me with a lot of free rein. Today I let him relax under me and I was just able to cart into the race at the right time.

“He certainly lifted for me the last bit. He dug deep. I can’t thank the team enough there at Lloyd’s, you know. I step on them ... throw my leg over for three minutes of the day on Saturday and take all the glory for a Group 1, but the whole team including Steve and Lloyd and John and everyone else who goes into it ... it is a big operation. They do such a great job.

“I speak to Lloyd the night before the race always so we can get everything down pat and spend a bit of time on the phone and it’s not so rushed. It works well.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Efficient): 26.00 steady.
Favourite (Vigor): 4.80 out to 5.00 in to 4.20. Finished thirteenth.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Scenic Shot raced wide without cover. C Williams (Maldivian (NZ)) was charged with careless riding under the provisions of AR137a, the careless riding being that near the 1600m he failed to make sufficient effort from preventing his mount shifting in when insufficiently clear of Predatory Pricer resulting in severe tightening to a number of horses to the inside of Predatory Pricer they being Roman Emperor, Red Ruler and Vigor (NZ). The inquiry was adjourned to the offices of Racing Victoria on Tuesday October 6 at 10.00am.

D Dunn (Predatory Pricer) was issued with a severe reprimand for failing to make an effort to stop riding and straighten his mount when it was hanging out under pressure and in doing so was not fully clear of Baughurst resulting in Baughurst being placed in restricted room over the concluding stages. Predatory Pricer lost its near-hind plate during the running of the race.

When questioned regarding the tactics adopted on Red Lord today G Boss explained that it was not the pre-race plan to ride the gelding so close today with the preferred option being positioned fifth or sixth. However his mount jumped very well and there was some interference unfolding on his inside and he was left with no option other than to press forward.

N Hall rider of Efficient (NZ) was reprimanded in accordance with the provisions of AR137A(5)(a)(ii) for striking his mount on one more occasion than is permissible under the rules prior to the 100m.
Zagreb suffered a bleeding attack from both nostrils and is now suspended from racing for the mandatory three month period.

Post race veterinary examinations were carried out on El Segundo (NZ), Vigor (NZ) and Red Lord which all revealed no abnormalities and a swab sample was taken from Vigor (NZ) for further analysis.

WHERE THEY FINISHED (lengths behind - horse name - comment):

0.00 Efficient - Relaxed early. Let down exceptionally in third run back. All class.

0.10 Predatory Pricer - Did everything right except win. Big run.

1.10 Scenic Shot - Held wide. Lacked winning acceleration, but kept coming. Solid effort.

1.20 Maldivian - Usual robust effort. Only weakened last 50m. Went down fighting.

1.30 Red Ruler - Sat just off the pace. Built momentum steadily. Doing his best work at the line.

1.50 Baughurst - Raced up with the speed. Kicked on resolutely straight. Forced to ease late.

3.00 Viewed - Held up briefly early in straight. Ran on steadily to the line. Perfect prep run for Cup.

3.20 Zipping - Ran on fairly from behind. Matched Viewed’s progress, but was harder ridden.

3.40 Roman Emperor - Raced just off the speed. Tried to kick early. Task beyond him on the day.

3.60 C’Est La Guerre - Not good, not bad. Adequate in the circumstances given future engagements.

5.90 Zagreb - Bled. Suspended for three months.

7.10 El Segundo - Never in contention. Entitled to improve third run in. Not encouraging.

8.40 Vigour - Flattered briefly straight. Made little progress. Gave up fight at 150m mark.

9.60 Joe Blow - Felt the pinch early in the straight. Dropped away quickly last 300m.

10.90 Red Lord - Riding tactics questioned. Raced on-pace. Under pressure 350m. Dropped right out.