EF NOV 28 - MOON CHASER GETS THE JOB DONE

By Matthew Grimson and Graham Potter | Sunday, November 29, 2009

Eagle Farm, November 28, 2009.
Track - Good 2. Rail - out 2.5m.
Class 6 Plate (Set Weights) - 2118m. Time: 2-10.12
1 Moon Chaser; 2 Forbes; 3 Never You Mind.

The John Thomas trained Moon Chaser earned a well deserved win here. The gelding had been beaten by a long-neck and a head in his last two starts and, on consistency alone, he was due for a success.

Jockey Andrew Spinks rode a patient race on the winner. Happy to lope along in midfield on the rail until the turn, Moon Chaser turned for home in eighth place. Spinks only had to shift marginally to go around the tiring Fort ‘N’ Won but, apart from that, he had a straight run to the line down the inside as the balance of the field fanned out when producing their runs.

Moon Chaser made the most of the opportunity, racing up into contention and then finishing off with meaning to get the better of his rivals, although the winning margin did come down to a short-neck when Forbes flashed up late.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer John Thomas: “Yeah he had a month off. The month off didn’t worry me at all. He likes to race a little bit fresh. Regardless of what Best Bets said I think he was well placed today with 53kgs. He (Andrew Spinks) rode him perfect. That’s how we planned to ride him.

“He got a bit tired last time (when second to Emerald Hill over 2100m at Doomben) because it was his first run back over that distance, I thought he was just found wanting a bit at the finish.

“I actually got him given to us. He was in Rocky, the horse, and they couldn’t ride him. I bought another horse by Moon Rocket and the owners of this horse called me up and asked if I could take him. They retained a share in him and they gave us the chance to lease a couple of shares ... just because I had the other horse. I’d looked at this horse when I bought the other horse, so he asked me if I’d take him because they couldn’t handle him in Rocky. They couldn’t get him to work up there.”

Jockey Andrew Spinks: Yeah he is going quite well. He just got beat out at Doomben four weeks ago now. It was about the last ten metres in his last start that he got tired. Today he was good. It is a testament to John Thomas’s training, because he kept him up for a month and he assured me he would run the trip out so he was pretty spot on. He’s done well.

“I was laughing in the run. I was really happy where I was. If I was any further forward I think he probably would have knocked up a little bit earlier, but he travelled nice where he was.

“When we straightened and we got a nice run up the inside he really did let down good. The further he goes the better this horse is going to be. His best distances are yet to come, he’ll get over a lot longer now. He’ll run 3200m easy ... and anything in-between.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Moon Chaser): 7.00 out to 7.50.
Favourite (Lucky Toss): 3.50 out to 3.60. Finished fourth.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Tanzill (J. Taylor) over-raced in the early stages. Never You Mind (M. Cahill) raced extremely wide until assuming the lead at the 1200m. Dawns Queen (C. McIver) was momentarily held up for clear running upon straightening.

Jockey L. Rolls reported to stewards that Shooting Scene over-raced until a point near the 1200m and added that the finishing effort of Shooting Scene, when considering this, had merit.

A post-race veterinary examination of Fort ‘N’ Won (B. Pengelly), which compounded to finish a distant last, failed to reveal any abnormalities. Trainer T. Crane advised stewards that the horse would be sent for an immediate spell.

Stewards sought an explanation from L. Cassidy in respect of the performance of Under The Counter. L. Cassidy stated that as a result of being obliged to race wide he was forced to restrain his mount to a position further back then he would have liked, however when he placed Under The Counter under pressure near the 600m the horse failed to respond to his riding and proved very disappointing. A post-race veterinary examination of Under The Counter revealed that the gelding was exhibiting a slower than normal recovery rate.

Spinks