SCST OCT 18 - POISED FOR SUCCESS PREVAILS IN PRESSURISED FINISH

By Graham Potter | Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Sunshine Coast, October 18, 2009.
Track - Good 3. Rail - out 8m.
3yo QTIS Maiden Plate (Set Weights) - 1400m. Time: 1-26.12.
1 Poised For Success; 2 Mr Tracey; 3 Waasies Shadow.

Jockey Stathi Katsidis completed a race-to-race double here and he again had to earn his money with an aggressive ride on the John Wallace Poised For Success in a busy finish in which only 1.10 lengths covered the first four horses across the line.

With 75m left to run four runners were spread across the track. All were within touching distance of victory. Katisidis had taken the inside line on Poised For Success. Waasies Shadow was immediately to his outside ... Just Lust was outside that (she was starting to tire) and Mr Tracey was the widest of the foursome.

As Just Lust weakened, three runners were left standing and Katsidis worked his magic to keep Poised For Success in front by a nose (the same margin as his victory on Diago in the previous race) in a pressurised finish where Mr Tracey’s closing momentum seemed about to carry the colt to victory. In the end Mr Tracey had to settle for second place with Waasies Shadow a further head back in third spot.

Poised For Success was having his second career start here. The filly had finished fourth on debut (1.80 lengths behind Lunar Rose over 1300m at the Gold Coast). The benefit of that run, a gear change (Blinkers - one-eyed, off-side - on first time ... Cheekers on first time), the number one barrier and the step up in distance were all factors that came into play as Poised For Success was good enough to live up to her name on this occasion.

WINNE FEEDBACK:
Jockey Stathi Katsidis: “There wasn’t much speed on. I sat three back on the fence. Because they went slow it took a long time to pick them up down the straight, but we eventually got there. It was probably a better win than it looked. If there was speed on I would have won by further.”

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Trainer T. Hall (Pacelli) and trainer J. Wallace's representative D. Wheeler (Poised For Success) were advised that $50 fines would be imposed for presenting their horses late to the enclosure. Pacelli (K. Wharton) was slow to begin. Mr Tracey (B. Pengelly) and Waashies Shadow (J. Byrne) began awkwardly. Tickle The Kitty (D. Browne) jumped in the air as the start was effected.

Approaching the 1200m, Just Lust (R. Hinricks) commenced to race fiercely and improved up inside the heels of Tickle The Kitty and shifted in, momentarily tightening Mr Tracey (B. Pengelly), which had to be steadied. Just Lust continued to race fiercely for some distance.

Mr Tracey (B. Pengelly) shifted out to obtain clear running leaving the 400m and in doing so forced Smirnoff Lass (P. Hammersley) out, making heavy contact with Get Uppity (B. Stewart). B. Pengelly, rider of Mr Tracey, was advised to exercise more care in similar circumstances. Tickle The Kitty (D. Browne) and Smirnoff Lass (P. Hammersley) raced wide for the majority of the event.

When questioned regarding the poor performance of Tickle The Kitty, D. Brown stated that the mare raced wide throughout the event and when placed under pressure in the home straight the horse felt uncomfortable in its action and he was reluctant to place the horse under extreme pressure. A post-race veterinary examination of Tickle The Kitty revealed the horse to be lame in the near-hind leg. Trainer H. Reed was advised that he must provide a veterinary clearance for the horse before it is permitted to race or trial again.