DOOM OCT 07 - LIGER MAKES IT TWO-IN-A-ROW

By Graham Potter | Friday, October 9, 2009

Doomben, October 07, 2009.
Track - Good 3. Rail - out 8m.
Class 3 Handicap (C, G & E) - 1110m. Time: 1-04.40.
1 Liger; 2 Seventh Heart; 3 Lindys Cross.

The Peter Kings trained Liger made it two-in-a-row when he when he outgunned his rivals over the final 150m, surging clear late with score with authority.

Apprentice jockey Owen Turpin positioned the chestnut in fourth on the rail early and then went back to midfield in the sweep to the turn. On straightening, Turpin persevered with an inside run and Liger’s moment of truth came approaching the 200m mark when Liger was asked to take a narrow split between the Caucus and Lindys Cross, who were disputing the lead.

There was hesitation at first leading to Liger momentarily being held up for a run, but then the six-year-old made up his mind to take the opportunity. He stuck his head into the gap, pushed through and then launched himself into the lead with a display of acceleration which decided the outcome of the contest within a matter of strides.

The winning margin of three lengths aptly sums up the quality of the finishing effort of the winner.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Peter Kings: “Yeah, it’s good. He’s won two-in-a-row now. It just took us a little while to work him out, you know. We’ve been changing a few things ... just the way we are working him... just keep him fresh.

“All we do now is basically just trot him and swim him, because he’s been in work probably seven or eight months now. We were given him too much. He’s only a little horse, you know. He just couldn’t cop it. But we’ve learned and changed things and it’s starting to pay dividends.”

Apprentice jockey Owen Turpin: “I just jumped him out ... gave him a little dig on. I rode him a little bit more conservatively, being a last start winner over 850m ... with the step up. I figured he’d like the distance. I jumped him out with the intent to be forward enough, but to just sit off them and get a break. I did not expect him to hit the line that well. Once he got through that gap he just took off.”

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
As G. Colless was to be overweight, S. Seamer was substituted as the rider of Seventh Heart. G. Colless was fined the sum of $100. Trainer J. Fleming was fined $100 for failing to declare a rider for Caucus by the prescribed time.

Running Fox (S. Katsidis) was slow to begin. Alphonse (J. Byrne) jumped away awkwardly, resulting in J. Byrne becoming unbalanced. Caucus (C. Reith) raced wide in the early stages. Liger (O. Turpin) was held up in the early stages of the straight and was then disappointed for a run for a short distance between Caucus and Lindys Cross (M. Hellyer) leaving the 200m.

Alphonse (J. Byrne) laid in in the early stages of the straight. Running Fox was held up for clear running approaching the finish line.