IPSW NOV 17 - POWERFUL SPHERE ON A ROLL

By Graham Potter | Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Ipswich, November 17, 2009.
Track - Good 3. Rail - out 9m 1600-1200; out - 10m 1200-finish.
Class 1 Handicap - 1710m. Time: 1-45.40.
1 Powerful Sphere; 2 Brolga Road; 3 Bos Bovis.

The Helen Page trained Powerful Sphere scored his second successive win here. The race was settled in a matter of strides inside the final 150m when nobody else could match the gelding’s race-winning acceleration which allowed him to pull away and go the line to win, not fully extended, by 1.30 lengths.

Jockey Jim Byrne, who was completing a double on the day after scoring on Face The Front in the first event on the card, positioned the three-year-old in a handy fifth position tucked away on the rail in the early part. The speed was a bit muddling mid-race, but the tempo quickly picked up early in the sweep to the turn. By the time the field straightened Byrne had eased Powerful Sphere out four wide on the track, given his mount the chance for an uninterrupted run to the line.

It did take Powerful Sphere a little while to build momentum, but he went through his gears without mishap and, once in full cry, he easily swept into the lead and on to a convincing victory.

Powerful Sphere is now two from two since stepping up in distance and racing beyond 1350m.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Helen Page: “He’s always shown that he needed a bit of ground. We ran him on a few wet tracks and things. Things just didn’t go right for him. Then Glen Colless rode him two runs back (over 1350m) and he said, he’ll win an 1800m race ... which we did in his next start at the coast. Now he’s followed up very nicely with Jimmy (Byrne) in the saddle. The senior jockeys have been very helpful with this horse.”

Jockey Jim Byrne: “Today, it was a nice win for the horse. I was getting a bit worried because they started backing the speed off at the 1000 ... the 1200, 1000m sort of thing. I was getting worried because he is a bit of a grinder the horse, but thankfully from the 700 they started clapping on the tempo a bit more. It was really good. It worked out good for the horse and he let down nicely in the straight."

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Powerful Sphere): 6.00 out to 7.00.
Favourite (Minashee): 2.60 out to 3.00 in to 2.80.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Lodging (M. Morris) was slow to begin. When questioned, M. Morris stated he had been instructed to lead today if possible however due to the horse missing the start he had no other option other than to race back in the field.

Minashee (B. Pengelly) raced wide in the early stages until crossing to the lead near the 1300m. Rounding the home turn, Brolga Road (R. McMahon) hung out and became awkward at the heels of March Rose (D. Griffin). Near the 400m, Golden Balls (M. Wood) had to be eased when tightened for room by Powerful Sphere (J. Byrne), which shifted in slightly.

Approaching the finish line, Golden Balls (M. Wood), when attempting to take a tight run inside Minashee (B. Pengelly) made heavy contact with the running rail and had to be checked.

A post race veterinary examination of Golden Balls revealed the horse to be lame in the near-fore fetlock. Trainer T. Hall was advised that he would be required to provide a veterinary clearance for Golden Balls prior to its next race start. A post race veterinary examination of Bejeka failed to reveal any significant abnormalities.