DOUBLE FOR KAVANAGH

By Graham Potter | Saturday, May 16, 2009

Cats Whiskers was the first of two winners on the day at Flemington for trainer Mark Kavanagh. The filly took her record to a healthy strike-rate of three wins from nine starts.

Cats Whisker raced in fifth placing, three wide without cover off a fair speed until the field straightened for home. Rider Billy Egan gently put his foot on the petrol and the daughter of Fusaichi Pegasus moved forward with the minimum of fuss to take the lead inside the final 200m.

Chortova, who was resuming, made her run with the winner and she kept Cats Whiskers honest all the way to the line but, in the end, she had to settle for second placing.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Merv Harvey (spokesman for the Mark Kavanagh stable): “She still wanted to throw her head around a little bit, but I thought Billy rode her very well and her class told in the last little bit. She never used to do it. It is only this time in that she’s been doing it, so I don’t know what it is. Today it didn’t matter that much. She had a bit of class on them and was just too good for them.

Jockey Barry Egan: “She is not the easiest of rides. She was a little keen during the race. I brought her back underneath me and she relaxed. Not long after she wanted to get going again, but soon after that we were straightening and it was time to go. She had the class over these horses and she showed it.”

Trainer Mark Kavanagh’s second winner of the day came courtesy of the ultra-consistent Shocking in the last race.

Still a colt, the son of Street Cry was happy to give plenty of ground away in the early part as he raced with only two runners behind him. He held that position until the final turn where he was asked to quicken. As the field accelerated, Shocking was momentarily caught marking time behind runners, but as Lakonian sprinted away to take the lead, Shocking was suddenly in daylight with the freedom to chase.

Lakonian, who had got first run, wasn’t in the mood to give anything away though and the Robbie Lang trained runner kicked on with meaning. By the 200m, Lakonian was still a couple of lengths clear. Shocking halved that deficit by the 100m and then kept up his momentum to go past Lakonain in the final stages to secure his second career victory.

Although run out of it late, Lakonian clearly appreciated the extra distance he was allowed here. It was a good, fighting effort.

WINNER FEEDEBACK:
Jockey Steven King (who completed a treble on the day): “Merv (Hervey - spokesman for the Kavanagh stable) was telling me before the race that he was a bit new ... just to help him out a bit. He was always going to win, but I had to help him go through the gears. He is still a bit new ... still lays around a bit. I just thought I’d give him a couple of touches on the left hand side to let him know there was a whip there. Once the penny drops he is going to be a nice horse. I just dropped him out the back. Let him do his own thing early. At the top of the straight I just peeled him out and let him go through he’s gears slowly. He always felt comfortable.”

King