EF NOV 28 - PRINCESS QUALO SHOWS HER CLASS

By Matthew Grimson and Graham Potter | Monday, November 30, 2009

Eagle Farm, November 28, 2009.
Track - Good 2. Rail - out 2.5m.
3yo QTIS Handicap - 1200m. Time: 1-08.82.
1 Princess Qualo; 2 Temple Of Boom; 3 Tierqualo.

The Robert Heathcote trained Princess Qualo scored a solid win to improve her strike-rate to a healthy fifty percent, having scored three wins from six starts.

Jockey Larry Cassidy had the filly sitting just off the speed in the early part as Our Mr Cashman crossed to lead Temple Of Boom up front. Our Mr Cashman tried to steal a winning break early in the straight but jockey Michael Cahill on Temple Of Boom was alert to that move. Cahill asked Temple Of Boom to go after Our Mr Cashman and the top weight was a willing partner in the chase, although he clearly was feeling the burden of carrying top weight (58kg).

As Temple Of Boom began to grind his way to the lead, Cassidy had already switched Princess Qualo out wider on the track and he too now found an extra gear. Cassidy’s timing prove to be spot on as he brought Princess Qualo through with a flourish to tame Temple Of Boom soon after that one took the measure of Our Mr Cashman. It was a result full of promise for the three-year-old.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Robert Heathcote: “She’s a filly that’s first class. We had her well primed today for this race. I made no secret of that. I told all of my connections and the owners flew up from Canberra and I said, look I think today is the day. I sent an e-mail out to all of my owners and they even phoned me and said that they have never heard me or seen me this confident going into a race first up ... and look, at the end of the day she showed the form I was talking about.

“The fact is that last start she got beaten by Listen Son by half a length and she carried 58kgs. Today she dropped to 53. That’s the ratings handicap system so at the handicap she was always going to be hard to beat. She’s a good filly. She’ll go to the Magic Millions.

“The question was asked why I didn’t go to the 3yo filly’s race next week. This looked a better program... two weeks time, then two weeks time to boxing day, and then two weeks into the Magic Millions 1400. That’s out plan. She is a good horse ... full stop.

“She has done really well since her last prep. Even her owners from Canberra came up to me today and said they can’t believe how well she looks. Larry (Cassidy) was happy as well. Larry rides her in seventy-five to eighty percent of her track work and he said we’ve just about got her spot on. I think she helps Larry get out of bed early in the morning.”

“It was a lovely ride by Larry (Cassidy). Perhaps he should have won the one before (on Woorim) and he has made amends. I said, ‘perhaps’.”

Jockey Larry Cassidy: “The big thing was the barrier, you know. We were slightly concerned she might be one run short even though she had trailed well. She is quite a gross filly and she’s came back really big, but she’s obviously a lot fitter than we what thought.

“I sort of had to click her up from the turn. I didn’t want to do anything silly and try to go up the inside. I thought, well just bring her up the outside. Actually, she got off balance when I bought her out and she actually speared out a little bit further. I balanced her up and then she was too strong.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Princess Qualo): 3.70 in to 3.50.
The winner was the favourite.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
On return to scale S. Seamer, the rider of Captain Sonador, placed 4th by the Judge, said that he considered he may have run 3rd. Therefore correct weight was delayed and the Judge produced photographic evidence which was viewed by the stewards, S. Seamer, Mr Roger Milne, trainer of Captain Sonador and Mr Wagner, owner of the horse.

This proved to be inconclusive.

Therefore the stewards, together with the connections involved, viewed the computer image in the Judge's box, which all agreed confirmed the Judge's placings. Accordingly correct weight was declared on the numbers originally semaphored.

I’ll Rule (C. McIver), which was slow to begin, raced ungenerously for the majority of the event. Dulbydilla (A. Spinks) blundered on jumping away. Near the 1100m Dulbydilla had to be steadied when momentarily crowded by Falls Creek (B. Stewart), which shifted in. After this incident Falls Creek came back from the heels of Princess Qualo (L. Cassidy) and as a consequence further inconvenience was caused to Dulbydilla. Double Heart (J. Taylor) raced wide throughout.

Near the 700m Daneomite (L. Rolls), which was racing awkwardly with its head up, shifted out and was checked off the heels of Tierqualo (Matthew Palmer). Rounding the home turn and in the straight Daneomite continued to race somewhat awkwardly with its head up and as a consequence was not ridden out in the normal manner. After the race Daneomite was examined by the Club's veterinary surgeon who reported that Daneomite had sustained a small laceration to the outside of the near-fore cannon.

After the 400m Princess Qualo (L. Cassidy) shifted out to go forward and in doing so caused some inconvenience to Long Road To Glory (A. Pattillo) and Tierqualo. After this incident Long Road To Glory became unbalanced and shifted in proving somewhat difficult to ride out to the line.