EF NOV 28 - CONQUERING QUEEN ANNIHILATES OPPOSITION

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

Eagle Farm, November 28, 2009.
Track - Good 2. Rail - out 2.5m.
Classic Plate (Listed - Fillies & Mares) - 1200m. Time: 1-08.58.
1 Conquering Queen; 2 Fuhrnatic; 3 Dance Girl Dance.

Talk about taking no prisoners!

The Toby Edmunds trained Conquering Queen trounced her opposition in no uncertain terms when scoring her fourth win from only seven starts.

A winner last time out over 1100m at Randwick, the mare had little difficulty running out the extra ground (1200m). Speared across from an outside draw by jockey Brad Pengelly, Conquering Queen assumed control of the race with a measured front-running display until the turn.

The change of tempo came on straightening as Conquering Queen turned on the power in the home straight to quickly open up a winning lead and she continued to extend her advantage over the struggling chasers to pass the post a full four lengths clear of the second placed runner while stopping the clock in a 1-08.58, which was 0.48 outside Century Kid’s track record which has stood since 2001.

The winner could not have been more impressive!

WINNER FEEDBACK
Trainer Toby Edmunds: “Too good. Pretty impressive. She is very spirited. She is a good on-pace filly, you know, with a lot of improvement. It’s only her seventh start today. She’s jumped up to Listed company and won with contempt really.

“I am not quite sure where we go really. Whether we hold onto it for a week and back up in the George Moore. I probably shouldn’t. It’ll be a sharp field, you know, she might not be up to it. She’s probably done a good job here to be truthful, but we’ll leave our options open. I will see how she pulls up. If not we will give her a break and get her ready for the Robert Sangster in Adelaide next year.

“She is a very, very fast filly if you want to use her. I honestly think if she is ridden a tad cold she’s quite explosive as well. Next week she should get a light weight off some of the better performed horses and if I am happy with her through the week we may run.

“She is very versatile, you know. She hasn’t got the best front legs. Hence her wet form in her first two runs in a race was very dominant. She is adaptable to all types of tracks now.”

Jockey Brad Pengelly: “Toby (Edmonds) advised me that she’s got brilliant pace. The plan wasn’t to lead really. I wanted to be just in behind them somewhere if I could have slotted in, but as it panned out in the first furlong I was better off to lead. Where she won the race was at the 600m where she relaxed lovely and then accelerated nice.

“As I say, after the 700 she relaxed beautifully and that’s what helped her in the end. She displayed a really sharp turn of foot and that was why, because she showed enough brains to come back herself. Toby is a very astute trainer. I rode for him in Sydney and when he thinks they can win they generally they run well.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Conquering Queen): 6.00 out to 9.00.
Favourite (Visa Lisa): 4.60 in to 4.20. Finished fourth.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Plain Magic was declared a late scratching at 4.17 p.m. by order of the stewards acting on veterinary advice when the horse was found to be lame in the off-hind fetlock.

On jumping away Boogaloo (M. Allen) became unbalanced when crowded for room between Nepro (C. McIver) and Feline Flyer (B. Stewart), both of which shifted some ground. She’s In The Guide (J. Taylor), Dance Girl Dance (M. Cahill) and Celestafy (S. Seamer) raced wide throughout.

Approaching the 1000m Pertinence (P. Hammersley) had to be steadied when tightened for room by Feline Flyer, which was taken in by Visa Lisa, which had in turn been taken in by Eripsni (A. Pattillo).

Approaching the 600m Getamoveon (M. Hellyer) had to be steadied when tightened for room between Tootsie Zynsky (D. Browne), which shifted in when not quite clear, and Eripsni, which shifted out off the heels of Conquering Queen (B. Pengelly). Visa Lisa, which was following, had to be steadied to avoid the heels of Getamoveon and then shifted out making contact with Dance Girl Dance.

For some distance in the early part of the straight Visa Lisa (L. Cassidy) had trouble obtaining clear running. Visa Lisa was able to obtain a run at about the 200m.

After the 300m Feline Flyer shifted out in an endeavour to go forward. As a consequence of this, some inconvenience was caused to Getamoveon (M. Hellyer) and Tootsie Zynsky (D. Browne).

Following his ride in this event, A. Pattillo was examined by the Club's medical officer and stood down.