DOOM OCT 31 - MANIC MONDAY WINS IN FRENZIED FINISH

By Graham Potter | Friday, November 6, 2009

Doomben, October 31, 2009.
Track - Good 3. Rail - out 2m.
1MW Handicap - 1200m. Time: 1-10.05.
1 Manic Monday; 2 Celestafy; 3 Ice Tee.

Jockey Bobby El-Issa didn’t have the best of weeks leading into this meeting after facing charges of betting on races and making false statements. Interestingly enough he got away with a $500 fine for the betting charge yet he landed a three month suspension for each of the three false statement charges levelled against him.

El-Issa kicked back by ending off the Doomben meeting with a long priced double. First he steered Manic Monday ($21) home and, if some punters were left reeling by that result many more were absolutely flattened by El-Issa’s last race party trick when he guided the unheralded Blazing Hearts to a stunning, runaway win at a price of $101. (See separate story - Blazing Hearts burns punters)

El-Issa settled Manic Monday just off the heels of the leaders with cover for much of the trip. When the split came between Worth Doing and Gundy Son at the 200m, Manic Monday took a moment to respond, but when she did she roared through the opening with meaning. The problem was Ice Tee had found a similar opening along the inside and was also surging forward, as was Celesafy who was charging down the outside.

It was a close three-way go but El-Issa got Manic Monday to find that vital bit extra when it mattered most and the seven-year-old mare got the decision by a long-head from Celestafy with Ice Tee only a half-head back in third place.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Paul Nolan (Jnr): “She is just a different mare this time in. She has just found that little length or two she probably needed. She is very genuine for a mare. She’s always been a very honest mare but she hasn’t always had a lot of luck. She was drawing wide alleys and we had to go back on her.

“Today, from the good alley ... and a little bit of the cut out of the ground wouldn’t have hurt her ... like, we were a little bit confident, as confident as you can be trying to win down here, because it is bloody hard to win in Brisbane.

“Yeah, I know she finished as a beaten favourite at Warwick last time. We hadn’t trialled her or anything like that. The boys are from Warwick and I’m originally from Warwick so we took her up there rather than barrier trial her and she just knocked up the last bit. She was a lot fitter here today.

We were probably going to send her to stud this year to Sequalo but, I don’t know ... in her current form we’ll have to put that off for a little bit.

“It was a brilliant ride. He (Bobby El-Issa) rides them so well. She was beautifully placed. You see, normally she’s been coming from last. Today she was fourth ... one off the fence and travelling.”

Jockey Bobby El-Issa: “She’s a nice filly. I’ve had a little bit of luck with this filly. Paul (Nolan) said he had her spot on today. She was just too good for them.

“I had Jason Holder (on Gundy Son) to my outside. I knew he was three deep the whole way. I was just waiting for him to tire so she could get the run and, when it came, she was too good.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Manic Monday): 21.00 steady.
Favourite (Gundy Son): 6.50 out to 7.00 in to 4.80. Finished fourth.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Saint Minerva (S. Seamer) was slow to begin. Ice Tea (P. Hammersley) was held up for a short distance nearing the 200m. Gundy Son (J. Holder) raced three wide without cover. Bazzooka (L. Rolls) and Celestify (A. Pattillo) raced three wide throughout.

Jockey B. Stewart reported that he was unable to obtain clear running on Cool Edition in the straight and the mare went to the line without being fully tested.

Jockey S. Seamer reported that Saint Minerva finished the race off well and, in his opinion, was looking for further distance in its race.