RAND OCT 03 - SPEED GIFTED KICKS MUD IN THEIR FACES

By Graham Potter | Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Randwick, October 3, 2009.
The Metropolitan Handicap (Group 1) - 2400mm.
Track - Heavy. Time: 2-35.18.
1 Speed Gifted; 2 Lodge The Deeds; 3 Fiumicino.

The imported gelding Speed Gifted ran himself into Cup contention and posted a warning to all opposition when he trounced his field in the Group 1 Metropolitan to win by a 3.25 length margin.

The heavy conditions and Speed Gifted’s liking for them obviously played its part in the result. The fact that the third placed Fiumicino finished a full 6.80 length behind the winner with the rest of the field stretched out to the degree that the last runner crossed the line 28.70 lengths off the result underlines the fact the conditions played havoc with the form of some of the runners in the line-up.
Taken on any level though, it was a solid performance from the Lee Freedman trained Speed Gifted with a clear promise of more to come.

The favourite Mr Clangtastic, who was bidding for six wins in-a-row, assumed his customary front-running role early on. The heavy going seemingly held no fears for him, as he had previously won four out of his eight starts on a heavy surface, and jockey Craig Agnew allowed the gelding to stride freely up front where he soon extended to lead Bellagio Wynn by four lengths with a further two lengths back to the third placed Enzedex Eagle. At this stage Speed Gifted was racing comfortably in sixth place, right on the heels of Fuimicino. Speed Gifted, in turn. Was being tracked by Lodge The Deeds.

The complexion of the race changed approaching the turn. Mr Clangtastic was weakening. Bellagio Wynn was brave, but having to work hard to stay in contention. Fuimicino was only going on one-paced. It was Speed Gifted, now up to third, with Lodge The Deeds in tow who were the two runners making ground.

Speed Gift surged to the lead at the 300m with Lodge The Deeds being his only danger, but that battle was soon decided as Speed Gift found the extra required to pull away from his rival to go on to score in convincing fashion. Lodge the Deeds also came away with every credit for his game second place finish.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Sam Pritchard-Gordon (stable representative for trainer Lee Freedman): “He was awesome today. Corey (Brown) obviously had a whole load of horse underneath him at the 600m. He got through the wet and he still has fitness to come.

“There was a slight question mark. We talked at the beginning of the week whether he gets the 2400m. I know he’s got form over it in the UK. That’s secure in our mind now and it’s a huge relief ... and he’s gone and won it in real good style.”

Jockey Corey Brown: “He relished the going. I was sort of really travelling well a half-mile from home. I had no worries that I was going to pick up the leading bunch. He actually cost himself more ground in the straight by running around and looking at everything. You have a look, at the 200 he runs back in then he runs out right on the winning post, but he is a pretty exciting horse I think.

“With the conditions today the 2400m was nearly two miles on that sort of surface. I’d like to be Dwayne Dunn’s seat at the moment.” (Dwayne Dunn is the retained number one rider for the Lee Freedman stable).

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Zarvite was withdrawn at 2.28 pm, on an application by trainer Mr A Cummings, on the grounds that the gelding cannot handle heavy tracks. Stewards acceded to an application from trainer Mr B Laming at 3.03 pm to withdraw Crossthestart on the grounds that the gelding does not handle heavy tracks.

P Wells, rider of Newport, accidentally dropped his whip at the 300m. S Galloway, rider of Hume, reported that the gelding did not handle the heavy track. The winner, Speed Gifted, shied at the winning post. When questioned, G Schofield, rider of Ready To Lift stated that he felt the mare was not comfortable in today’s going and also raced wide for some distance without cover.

When questioned, K McEvoy, rider of Streetfighter, stated that, in his opinion, the gelding had not handled today’s heavy track. Post race veterinary examinations of Ready To Lift, Streetfighter and Hume did not reveal any abnormalities.

Brown