DOOM DEC 05 - BURDEKIN BLUES STRUTS HIS STUFF

By Graham Potter | Sunday, December 6, 2009

Doomben, December 5, 2009.
Track - Good 3. Rail - True.
George Moore Stakes (Group 3 - Quality) - 1200m. Time: 1-08.05.
1 Burdekin Blues; 2 Zero Rock; 3 Forestreno.

Top sprinter Burdekin Blues underlined his superior status with a superb win in the Group 3, Quality, George Moore Stakes.

The quality of the win is highlighted by the fact that the Barry Baldwin trained runner stopped the clock in 1-08.05, which is starting to get within range of the 1-07.88 track record which is held by the mighty Takeover Target. If you can run that sort of time from the front, it is no wonder few runners are left to challenge you at the line.

Burdekin Blues dashed straight to the lead from the break and then settled into a high cruising speed. Black Prince had the courage to try and pressure the speedster and he raced in a clear second placing until the turn.

When Burdekin Blues turned for home, he held a two length advantage over Black Prince with Zero Rock a similar distance back in third placing ... and the leader’s relentless gallop continued in the home straight.

Black Prince had had enough by the 200m. Zero Rock kept chasing though and did a good job to get within a length of Burdekin Blues at the line.

The ever consistent Forestreno and Ghetto Blaster also must take credit for their runs in filling third and fourth placing respectively, but this race belonged to Burdekin Blues every inch of the way.

That makes it ten wins now for this son of Sequalo and Group 1 glory is now firmly in his sights.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Barry Baldwin: “There was a bit of pressure going into the race. Mate, he’s a speed horse and you have got to ride him for that. People said they would take him on with speed, but we knew they couldn’t do that, but you always worry a bit. I think they were foolish to try and go with him. He can really put it on on the home turn. I think that is where he really wins his races.

“We learnt from the Newmarket that you can’t hold him up. So ever since then we devised a plan. I think he runs his best times between the 600 and the 400. In Melbourne he ran 10.8 from the 600 to the 400 and I think he might have run something like that from the 600 to the 400 here. Up to there the horses think they’ve covered him, but that’s when he breaks their hearts.

Yeah, I saw Scribo (jockey Shane Scriven) looking around. I think it was because he didn’t want to give him too hard a run. I’m not going to knock him.

“We might go to the Bat Out Of Hell now ... maybe ... then definitely the Lightning.”

Jockey Shane Scriven: “Yeah, he is one hell of a racehorse. You know again, like he did in Melbourne, I couldn’t fault him. He did what I thought he could do and the proof is in the pudding ... I mean, by jeez, he nearly broke 1-08.

“He really wanted to get going at the 600 today. Barry (Baldwin) said, just let him get into that stride. When he wants to go ... it’s a special sort of ride. Mate, I’m a passenger.

“His cruising speed is unbelievable. I don’t know if I’ve ridden one that can cruise like him. I had a little sneak around just before the 800 and I had them struggling then. Then I sort of tried to slow him down from the 800 to the 600. But he knows himself ... when he got to that 600, mate, you just feel him. He builds up underneath you. He really grabbed the steel with me at the 600 and he wanted to go ... and away he went.

“He probably went a hundred metres sooner than I wanted him to go, but that’s where he breaks their hearts, you know. He can really get around those bends and when he can straighten up like that. I thought he might have been running a bit too hard, but that’s where he wins his races.

"He doesn’t really finish his races off because he is going so fast, but look at the time. Before the race I thought we might see something special today. I think we did!”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Burdekin Blues): 3.30 in to 3.10 out to 3.20.
The winner was the favourite.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
The Jackal (R. Thompson) was slow to begin. A short distance after the start, Bocuse (S. Katsidis) and The Jackal had to be steadied when tightened for room between Sommersea Drive (L. Cassidy) and Frosty (S. Seamer), both of which shifted ground. Soiled (P. Robl) and Rockdale (L. Rolls) raced three wide throughout.

B. Pengelly, rider of Zero Rock, was reprimanded for permitting his mount to shift in near the 1000m, resulting in Frosty (S. Seamer) having to be steadied to avoid that horse's heels.

P. Hammersley, rider of Eire Of Magic, pleaded guilty to a charge of careless riding, in that near the 900m he permitted his mount to shift in when not sufficiently clear of Bocuse (S. Katsidis), resulting in Bocuse having to take hold and relinquish its position. P. Hammersley was suspended from riding in races for a period covered by 7 meetings, to commence at midnight, 5 December and to expire at midnight, 16 December 2009.

R. Thompson, rider of The Jackal, reported that after the horse was a little slow to begin he was of the opinion that it was not comfortable racing in restricted room to the inside of other horses. He further added that whilst the horse did make ground in the straight, he was of the view that it may be better suited on bigger tracks.

Stewards also questioned J. Byrne and trainer J. Pride regarding the performance of Black Prince. J. Byrne stated that, in the circumstances, he was not completely dissatisfied with the effort of Black Prince when considering the sectional times of the leader, Burdekin Blues.

Trainer J. Pride stated that Black Prince had shown in the past that it is better suited when able to lead in its own right without pressure. J. Pride undertook to report to stewards any abnormalities with Black Prince that may become apparent in the days following the race. A post-race veterinary examination of Black Prince failed to reveal any significant abnormalities.

A post-race veterinary examination of Soiled failed to reveal any significant abnormalities.

Baldwin