DOOM DEC 05 - SOULIMA ON SONG

By Matthew Grimson and Graham Potter | Monday, December 7, 2009

Doomben, December 5, 2009.
Track - Good 3. Rail - True.
NMW Handicap - 1350m. Time: 1-18.27.
1 Soulima; 2 Proscenium Arch; 3 Lucky Omens.

Sunshine Coast based trainer Harry Reed tasted Metropolitan success when Soulima outgunned his rivals in commanding fashion to take out his third win from thirteen starts.

Jockey Larry Cassidy jumped Soulima out into second place at the break, but he then eased the four-year-old out of the initial speed battle up front when it became clear he would be held very wide in the run. Instead, Cassidy eased the throttle and he managed to steadily bring Soulima across from his wide draw, eventually getting the gelding into a comfortable third placing, two out, as Stature and Vivaheart took the field to the home turn.

Soulima brushed past Vivaheart on straightening and immediately set about going after Stature who had kicked away into a clear lead. Stature was full of fight and it took Soulima almost the entire length of the straight to run down the front-runner. In the end Soulima got to the lead inside the final 50m and stayed on strongly enough to the line to thwart the belated charge of a wall of runners who had closed up too late to have any major say in the outcome.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Harry Reed: “We were expecting a good run today. He has been showing us a little bit on the track and he has certainly strengthened up a little bit.

“We put a bit more work in him and stepped him up to the 1350m. I think the other secret to him too was ... and it is a funny thing to say ... but the wide gate seems to suit him. The runs he has had, for me in particular, he has won from wide barriers. When he drew the one barrier the other day I think he went to sleep. Maybe it was the fact that he wasn’t worked out of the barriers, but unfortunately, it worked against him at the finish ... but was a good run here. I’m very happy.”

Jockey Larry Cassidy: “I had a bit of luck from the draw. He is pretty easy to ride because you can use him up and he’ll come back to you. That is a big bonus when you have to use him up a bit from the draw. I got in well and, yeah, he was too strong.

“Actually I rode him once before just short of a year ago in the Magic Millions Maiden. He got beat a nose on the line, so yeah I’ve got all but the perfect record on him.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Soulima): 10.00 out to 12.00 in to 9.50.
Favourite (Charter Boat): 4.80 out to 6.00 in to 4.80. Finished eighth.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
As B. Stewart was to be overweight, J. Holder was substituted as the rider of Stature. B. Stewart was fined $200.

The start of this race was delayed when Monashee Gold was fractious when proceeding to the barriers, dislodging A. Spinks on two occasions. Stewards, after considering its pre-race behaviour and its subsequent poor performance in the race, advised trainer S. Essery that Monashee Gold would be barred from metropolitan racing until such time as it establishes form in the provincial area, and a warning would be placed on the horse in respect of its pre-race behaviour.

Lucky Omens (J. Byrne) was slow to begin. Stature (J. Holder) was obliged to race extremely wide in the early stages, compelling its rider to progress forward to the lead near the 800m. When the pace slowed approaching the first turn, Lucky Omens (J. Byrne) and Charter Boat (S. Katsidis) over-raced for a short distance.

S. Katsidis reported that Charter Boat displayed a tendency to hang in in the straight and near the 200m he was forced to stop riding and straighten his mount when it shifted in, tightening the running of Vivaheart (M. Speers). S. Katsidis further added that Charter Boat continued to display this tendency, which resulted in it being difficult to ride out over the concluding stages.

Monashee Gold (A. Spinks), Tuscon Rain (L. Rolls) and Mohawk (K. Wharton) raced wide for the majority of the event.