IPSW OCT 22 - DESERVED CHANGE OF FORTUNE FOR CHANNEL CROSSING

By Graham Potter | Friday, October 23, 2009

Ipswich, October 22, 2009.
Track - Good 3. Rail - out 2.5m
Class 2 Handicap - 1666m. Time: 1-41.52.
1 Channel Crossing; 2 Zenacity; 3 Courtroom Drama.

The Gerard Blades trained Channel Crossing earned a well-deserved change of fortune when he ran right away from his opposition in the straight to win by a commanding 2.30 lengths.

Prior to this run, the six-year-old had finished in second spot in no less than his last four successive starts, but this time the chestnut took no prisoners on his way to carving out the third win of his career.

Jockey Ron Goltz gave Channel Crossing the run of the race. Channel Crossing settled beautifully in a prominent fourth place early. He saved ground to move into second place on straightening and then quickly shifted out around the heels of the leader Beautiful Moon into clear running.

When asked for his effort, Channel Crossing accelerated quickly. Suddenly all of his rivals were placed under pressure and they could not respond well enough to trouble Channel Crossing’s triumphant charge to victory.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Gerard Blades: “Yeah, it is good to put an end to those second places. He’s been unlucky. He’s only been getting beat a neck every time ... a neck or a head. He was switching off when he got past them. That’s why he got caught out. That’s why I said to Ron (Goltz) today ... I said, get into him. Don’t relax on him. Then he’ll just keep going.

“Ron (Goltz) rode him well today. He’s got used to him now. He tries his heart out this fella. He never puts a bad run in. That’s his distance the mile ... or maybe 1800m. The race was run exactly the way we wanted it.”

Jockey Ron Goltz: “He was due for a bit of luck so it was good to see him win. Yeah, he did switch off a bit in his previous runs, but today he seemed to concentrate really well. He had a good run in the race. He was probably three back on the fence and he finished it off really strongly.”

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Kaycee’s Bid (S. Apthorpe) was slow to begin. Crimson Fore (App J. Leatherby) had to be checked to avoid the heels of the tiring Automatic Slim (W. Clasohm) approaching the home turn.

J. Bowditch the rider of Teaattheritz, which performed poorly, explained the filly never travelled well and he attempted to improve approaching the 600m around the field however, Teaattheritz failed to respond to his riding. A post race veterinary examination revealed Teaattheritz was exhibiting respiratory noises and had mucus in its nostrils. Trainer A. Bailey was advised he must provide a veterinary certificate of fitness together with the results of an endoscopic examination prior to the horse racing again.