EF OCT 10 - ZAHAS PRIDE STEALS THE PRIZE

By Matthew Grimson and Graham Potter | Monday, October 12, 2009

Eagle Farm, October 10, 2009.
Open Handicap - 1200m. Time: 1-10.85
Track - Good 3. Rail - out 1m.
1 Zahas Pride; 2 Blackwood’s Choice; 3 Another Takeover.

The Michael Nolan trained Zahas Pride made it two out of two this prep and took his career record to an impressive six wins from nine starts when he landed a start to finish victory in the last race on the card.

With nobody prepared to pressure Zahas Pride early, the chestnut enjoyed the kindest of leads, holding sway up front while still being hard held by jockey Larry Cassidy. Blackwoods Choice gave notice of his intention to rock and roll by moving up on the outside of Zahas Pride on straightening, but Cassidy merely gave the fully-primed Zahas Pride more rein and the four-year-old set about maintaining his advantage.

The race then essentially came down to a two-way contest with Blackwoods Choice fighting to try to get to the leader and Zahas Pride resisting every challenge of his rival. That’s the way the order stayed all the way to the line with Zahas Pride holding his challenger fairly comfortably in the closing stages.

It should be well worth noting the run of the third placed Another Takeover. Not suited to the lack of speed, Another Takeover turned for home third last with little to no hope of being able to run down the leaders who had sprinted away off the dawdling early pace. For all that, Another Takeover rattled home, finishing hard along the inside running rail. That he got within a length of the winner at the line was a quality performance. One to watch.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Michael Nolan: “Second run back and that’s always a bit of a worry. He just keeps winning this horse. How far he goes from here, I’m not sure, but we’re happy with what he is doing at the moment. Things have gone good this whole preparation. This was a good Class 6 race.”

Jockey Larry Cassidy: “The time of 36.6 for the first 600m ... that told the story, for sure. He bounced well and had his ears pricked straight away, so I thought, well, I’ll just send you to the front. He relaxes nice which is a big thing too, you know, because if they relax in front and they are running no time ...well, they nearly unbeatable.

“I had a peak when Blackwoods Choice came at me because ... like I didn’t really want to chuck everything I had at him. He is the sort of horse when something comes at him, he just gives you that bit more without you even really asking.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Zahas Pride): 2.80 out to 3.00 in to 2.50.
The winner was the favourite.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Humma (D. Browne) and Queen Of Asia (J. Bowditch) made contact on jumping away. How Brave (S. Seamer) jumped away awkwardly. How Brave over-raced when racing wide passing the 1000m.

Main Vein (App L. Rolls) was held up in the early stages of the straight and near the 200m, when taking a tight run, made contact with Queen Of Asia. A short distance later Queen Of Asia had to be steadied when tightened for room between Main Vein and How Brave, both of which shifted ground slightly. Meet George (App M. Hellyer) travelled wide throughout.