IPSW DEC 10 - ZEKEZA GETS THE JOB DONE

By Graham Potter | Saturday, December 12, 2009

Ipswich, December 10, 2009.
Track - Good 3. Rail - out 6m.
Class 1 Handicap - 1200m. Time: 1-10.37.
1 Zekeza; 2 Miss Tennessee; 3 Fields Of Plenty.

Jockey Brad Pengelly gave Zekeza the run of the race in the early part settling in third spot behind the free-running main fancy Noble Intent and Hawk Eyed.

Noble Intent, who was a short-priced favourite, held sway until the turn, but he was already a spent force on straightening. Both Hawk Eyed and Zekeza had made forward moves approaching the turn and these two runners (Hawk Eyed two wide and Zekeza three wide) pounced on Noble Intent at the top of the straight and went right past him to join issue for the lead.

Zekeza didn’t take long to get the better of Hawk Eyed, but Pengelly had to stay very active in the saddle to keep Zekeza honest all the way as Miss Tennessee emerged from the pack with a determined finish to get within a neck of the winner at the line.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Kenneth Deacon: “We ran into a few problems at Toowoomba (in her last start when finishing fourth) and the track didn’t suit her, which we thought it would. We thought she’d come along very well since then and that she would very hard to beat today.

“She is so honest and she so deserves the win. You can see all of those second places and a lot those seconds she should have won. I said to Bradley (Pengelly), if she can get to the front they won’t go past her.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Zekeza): 6.00 out to 8.00.
Favourite (Noble Intent); 1.70 out to 2.10. Finished seventh.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Upon arrival at the barriers, Miss Tennessee had to be re-saddled. The start of this race was delayed when Egyptian Jewel proved difficult to load. Trainer S. Hardy was advised that the mare must perform satisfactorily in an official barrier trial before being permitted to race again.

Mind Star (A. Merritt) jumped away awkwardly, making contact with the hind quarters of Noble Intent (T. Treichel). Egyptian Jewel (M. Palmer) was slow to begin. Mind Star then raced fiercely in the middle stages.

Zekeza (B. Pengelly) hung out rounding the home turn. Miss Tennessee (L. Cassidy) shifted out under pressure over the final 200m.

Jockey T. Treichel, rider of Noble Intent, which performed poorly, explained that the gelding was able to lead without being pressured in the early stages, although it did change stride on a number of occasions between the 900m and 600m. T. Treichel added that Noble Intent failed to respond to his riding approaching and rounding the home turn and weakened in the home straight.

Stable representative K. Loy explained that Noble Intent had worked well leading up to today's race and indicated that it may now be spelled. K. Loy further undertook to report any abnormality which may become apparent in the day following the race which may have had a bearing on the performance.

A post race veterinary examination of Noble Intent revealed the horse to have a minor laceration to the near foreleg and bleeding on the off-fore fetlock.

A post race veterinary examination of Egyptian Jewel failed to reveal any significant abnormalities, although the mare did have a minor laceration to the near-fore leg

Deacon