EF OCT 17 - DAEDALUS OUTGUNS SNEAKY LONG

By Matthew Grimson and Graham Potter | Monday, October 19, 2009

Eagle Farm, October 17, 2009.
Track - Good 3. Rail - out 3m.
Open Handicap - 1600m. Time: 1-35.48.
1 Daedalus; 2 Sneaky Long; 3 In Rehearsal.

The Gillian Heinrich trained Daedalus went one better than his second placing last time when he scored a strong end to end victory to make it eight wins from twenty-one starts.

The long-striding, flashy chestnut jumped into the lead with another usual on-pace runner Sneaky Long taking the trail on the leader. The race order up front did not change from start to finish as jockey Larry Cassidy cleverly dictated the course of events on Daedalus.

Sneaky Long did try to move alongside Daedalus on straightening, but the leader shrugged off that challenge without any undue effort to kick away and establish a winning lead halfway up the straight before cruising home to win by a comfortable two length margin.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Jockey Larry Cassidy: “I just wanted to make my intensions clear because obviously Sneaky Long, if he gets along up front ... you can’t sort of get up to take him on because he just keeps getting quicker. So it was my intention just to beat him there and we only went 60 seconds for the first 1000 so we had an easy enough lead. I was entitled to find some and he sure did.

“The other day at the Sunshine Coast he didn’t really jump and get going and it caught me a bit by surprise. He got into a position where he looked like he had them covered and then he just really didn’t find any more. So it looked disappointing on paper, but it was second up. He was obviously fitter today and racing over a more suitable distance (up from 1400m to 1600m).

“I pretty much went up to the Sunshine Coast to ride him last time. Gillian Heinrich had a couple of other runners and I had a couple of other rides. In his first up run I liked the way he went over an unsuitable distance (1200m) and, you know, he was stepping up into a more suitable distance the other day (when second over 1400m at the Sunshine Coast). He was probably just one run short and he was getting to an even more suitable distance today. It made the difference.”

PRICE PLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Daedalus): 4.20 out to 4.60.
Favourite (Malela): 3.30 in to 3.20. Finished sixth.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
In Rehearsal (D. Browne) jumped away awkwardly and shifted out, making contact with Daedalus (L. Cassidy). Cuban Dancer (D. Craven) over-raced in the early and middle stages. Trainer J. Thomas reported that Reincarnation did not appreciate the firm surface and would now be sent for a spell.

Stewards questioned K. Wharton as to the reason why he remained three wide on Nevada Gambler when there appeared to be an opportunity to restrain that gelding and obtain a position closer to the fence near the 1000m trailing Reincarnation (A. Spinks). K. Wharton explained that he was instructed to given Nevada Gambler an uninterrupted run and after passing the 1200m he rode forward in an attempt to clear Reincarnation, however as he was unable to do this he elected to remain three wide on the track. Stewards advised K. Wharton that in their view his actions did not have a material effect on the placing of Nevada Gambler, however it was reasonable to expect that he would restrain and obtain cover approaching the 1000m.

Stewards sought an explanation from rider Jim Byrne and trainer K. Kemp in regards to the seemingly disappointing performance of Malela. J. Byrne stated that the horse began very well and took up a position closer to the lead than he would have liked, however bearing in mind the lack of speed in the race he was reluctant to restrain Malela to a position further back in the field, as is its normal racing pattern. J. Byrne felt that the horse racing in a handier position today than is usual, along with the firm surface, were two factors which may have explained the horse's performance.

Trainer K. Kemp agreed with J. Byrne's comments and voiced his disappointment in the performance of Malela. A post race veterinary examination of Malela failed to reveal any significant abnormalities.