IPSW OCT 22 - TAHITI DREAM A PUNTERS NIGHTMARE

By Graham Potter | Friday, October 23, 2009

Ipswich, October 22, 2009.
Track - Good 3. Rail - out 2.5m
Maiden Plate (C, G & E - Set Weights) - 1350m. Time: 1-22.06.
1 Tahiti Dream; 2 Master Winner; 3 Big Boori.

There is never a lot of cheering when an $83 winner gets home - that is, of course unless the few who backed him make a lot of noise. Well it was pretty quiet when the rank outsider Tahiti Dream took out the first race on the card at Ipswich. It was the first blow of a combination punch sequence landed by trainer Geoff Livermore and jockey Shannon Apthorpe who ran up a quick double when April Folly, who started at $57 on the tote, took out the next race on the card.

Tahiti Dream had the gate-speed to nullify the disadvantage of his wide draw and he immediately went up to dispute the lead with Carry The Gift, who held the inside line. These two runners took the field to the home turn with Tahiti Dream always holding a narrow advantage. On straightening, jockey Shannon Apthorpe asked Tahiti Dream for more and the chestnut quickly dismissed the challenge of Carry The Gift and set sail for home.

Master Winner, who had been racing just off the speed, but posted three wide, found and extra gear halfway up the straight and started to close up menacingly on Tahiti Dream, but the post came too soon for the chaser as Tahiti Dream stayed on to win by a diminishing 0.20 lengths. The $2.20 favourite Big Boori ran on for third without really having any shout at success after being hopelessly placed at the rear of the field until turning for home.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Geoff Livermore: “He was very green early. We had three different breakers before we could get him going. He was a big handful, actually. James Hepworth rode him in work here for a long time and got him going ... he’s out with an operation on his shoulder now. Darren Bird and Angie, my daughter, have both been riding him in work and he’s going real nice.

“We expected him to be up there early. We didn’t know if he would run it out first-up ... but he did a good job.”

Jockey Shannon Apthorpe: “He’s a little bit of a wayward horse. He jumps around. He looks at things too much. He’s just got to grow up a bit, I think. He was still staying on at the end. I was surprised. I thought he probably entitled to throw it in a little bit earlier that being his first start back from a spell ... but he stuck to it really well. I had a bit of a look ... it was probably about the 200m mark, I had a look behind me and I thought then I was a pretty big chance of lasting.

“No, he ran on nice. In the beginning of the race he pulled a little bit too much and the reins were a bit sweaty and they were slipping through my hands and I thought we were going to go a little bit too hard. He sort of come back to me after a couple of hundred metres and he went nicely after that.”

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Tahiti Dream (S. Apthorpe) jumped away awkwardly. Ramone (P. Hammersley) also jumped away awkwardly and shifted out making contact with Apepi (K. Wharton).

Our Centurion (J. Byrne) over-raced in the early and middle stages and after passing the 800m had to be steadied off the heels of Mr Daybreak (J. Taylor) on a number of occasions.

Over the concluding stages Apepi was held up and unable to improve behind Carry The Gift (W. Clasohm), which was weakening. Master Winner (G. Colless) raced three wide without cover throughout.

Trainer G. Livermore was questioned regarding the improved performance of Tahiti Dream. G. Livermore explained that the gelding had worked well leading into today's race and although the horse was first up over 1350m he expected Tahiti Dream to run well, although he was surprised that the gelding was able to win.

Stewards sought an explanation from S. Katsidis regarding the riding tactics he adopted on Big Boori S. Katsidis explained that he had no specific instructions however, from the wide draw he elected to settle Bi Boori at the rear of the field. He added that rather than improving around Bear’sagun (A. Pattillo) four wide approaching the home turn he elected to attempt to save ground on the inside and although being slightly held up rounding the home turn he was able to gain clear running in the home straight. S. Katsidis was of the view that Big Boori would be suited over a further distance than today's race. Stewards accepted the explanation of S. Katsidis.

P. Hammersley the rider of Ramone, which performed poorly, explained that Ramone travelled well until placed under pressure near the 400m and weakened badly from that point.