SCST OCT 18 - LUCKY OMENS IMPRESSES KATSIDIS

By Graham Potter | Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Sunshine Coast, October 18, 2009.
Track - Good 3. Rail - out 8m.
Class 1 Handicap - 1400m. Time: 1-25.44.
1 Lucky Omens; 2 Banana Split; 3 Slepner.

The Bryan Guy trained Lucky Omens impressed jockey Stathi Katsidis when landing a fluent win in his third start of this preparation.

The gelding had no luck early on from his wide draw, but he made the race his own in the home straight when he quickly accelerated into contention before sweeping to the front with a powerful run. Once in the lead the result was never in doubt.

Katsidis did keep the four-year-old honest all the way to the line, but his superiority on the day was clear-cut as indicated by the two length margin he had spare over the second placed Banana Split at the line.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Bryan Guy: “We probably went over the top with him the prep before last. That’s why he never came up last prep. So I threw him back in the paddock. I said to (owner) Ronnie (Wanless) ... because Ronnie was a bit keen to get rid of him ... I said, don’t get rid of him. He’ll win in town this horse. He said, alright. So we kept him.

“His first-up run this time in was good. His second-up run was ... I’m not saying he should have won, but he should have gone awfully close. He missed the kick a length-and-a-half. He run up their arses at the 600 and then got flattened. He was last on the corner and he ran third.

“He’s a nice horse. He’s a bit rough in the coat, but he’ll come good. We’ll take the result.”

Jockey Stathi Katsidis: “Very good run. Drawn awkward ... I had to go back from the alley and I was three deep for all of the race actually. I did have a bit of cover and I just waited for the runs to come in the straight.

“When he saw the runs he bolted through and hit the front ... probably at the 200. I hit the front probably too early, so I grabbed hold of him, waited a bit and then went again. He went away. He was very impressive that one.”

Jockey Jason Holder, who has only recently returned to race riding after sustaining serious injuries in a race fall in January, was dislodged from his mount Kinjirock approaching the 800m mark. Thankfully Holder emerged unscathed from the incident.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Upi Bay (K. Pope) shifted outwards at the start, making contact with Elate And Excite (M. Hellyer). Banana Split (B. Pengelly) was slow to begin.

Stewards opened in inquiry into the reason for Kinjirock appearing to clip heels and fall approaching the 800m, dislodging its rider, J. Holder. At a subsequent inquiry, it was established that Kinjirock commenced to race ungenerously shortly after the start and threw its head up on a number of occasions, and prior to making the 800m turn shifted in marginally and struck the heels of General Birdwood (P. Hammersley) and fell, dislodging jockey J. Holder.

After inquiring into the matter, stewards found no one rider to blame for the incident. J. Holder was examined by the club's doctor and cleared to fulfil his remaining engagements. Approaching the 700m, General Birdwood (P. Hammersley) had to be steadied off the heels of Ana Me Cori (C. Reith), which shifted in slightly.

Nearing the 500m, General Birdwood (P. Hammersley) again had to be steadied after improving onto the heels of Ana Me Cori again. Near the 400m, Slepner (M. Hughes) had to be steadied when Estrellito (J. Byrne) shifted in slightly. A short distance later, Slepner shifted out to improve and made contact with brushed Estrellito, which then shifted out. Near the 250m, Ana Me Cori (C. Reith) had to be checked after improving on to the heels of the tiring Estrellito.

Arabia (K. Wharton), Top Messiah (A. Spinks) and Lucky Omens (S. Katsidis) raced wide for the majority of the event.

A post-race veterinary examination of Kinjirock failed to reveal any significant abnormalities. A post-race veterinary examination of No Fear Of Heights revealed the horse to have broken down in the near-fore fetlock. Trainer L. White was advised that she would be required to provide a veterinary clearance for No Fear Of Heights prior to its next race start or barrier trial.

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