EF DEC 16 - HEARTSUN HOLDS OFF ACADEMY MAGIC

By Matthew Grimson and Graham Potter | Friday, December 18, 2009

Eagle Farm, December 16, 2009.
Track - Good 3. Rail - out 3m.
Class 4 Handicap - 1300m. Time: 1-16.93.
1 Heartsun; 2 Academy Magic; 3 Supreme Show.

Heartsun gained due reward for his consistent level of performance when he struck in his third run back since resuming after close to a six month spell to claim his fourth win in his eleventh start.

With Heartsun drawn wide, jockey Michael Cahill briefly toyed with the idea of trying to get in on the gelding, but when that opportunity did not present itself the rider pushed Heartsun forward to take up a perfect position, racing in third place behind Bob And Dolly and Supreme Show.

Supreme Show went up to challenge Bob And Dolly immediately on straightening with Heartsun perfectly poised to launch his challenge as Cahill brought the four-year-old three wide into clear running, giving him a clear shot at the leaders.

Bob and Dolly and Supreme Show fought a spirited battle as they set the initial target in the run home, but just when Supreme Show got the better of Bob And Dolly with 150m left to run he, in turn, gave way to Heartsun who arrived on the back of a finely measured run to reel that duo in and get to the front looking every inch as if he would run out a comfortable winner.

But there was one last twist. Academy Magic, who had been held up with nowhere to go from the 350m until 75m from home, finally found daylight. The gelding flashed up late, but the run had come too late for him to get to Heartsun, although the short-neck winning margin underlines what a strong effort Academy Magic put in over the last 50m when ultimately chasing a lost cause.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Stewart Mackinnon: “Both runs back before this have been good, encouraging runs, you know. So third run back … we expected a big run today.

“He showed a lot of promise early days and now he’s coming back so, yeah, we are pretty happy. He went up a bit in distance today (from 1200m to 1300m) and hopefully he can get 1400m. That’s what we’re thinking.

“It was a lovely ride. We had a difficult barrier and we just left it up to Michael (Cahill).”

Jockey Michael Cahill: “He had a good run. He was a bit closer than I intended to be. I originally planned to ride him off the speed a bit, but he began well and I pretty much rode him where he jumped.

“I always sort of had them covered down the run. I didn’t hit him with the whip. I think he probably would have found something had I had done. No, he is a nice horse … a very promising horse.

He is a lightly raced horse and he has got a good record. If he can continue to train on he is a chance of being a Saturday class horse here.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Heartsun): 12.00 out to 13.00.
Favourite (Casholet): 3.20 in to 2.90. Finished fifth.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
K. Banks was dislodged from Clang Edition travelling to the barriers. K. Banks was cleared to ride the horse. Supreme Show (C. Whiteley) jumped inwards at the start, forcing Casholet (J. Wood) in on to Clang Edition (K. Banks), which had to be checked. Simian Express (L. Cassidy) jumped in the air at the start.

C. Reith, rider of Bob And Dolly, was severely reprimanded for shifting in approaching the 1000m and tightening the running of Heartsun (M. Cahill), which was taken in on to Deltarara (K. Wharton).

Academy Magic (J. Holder) was badly held up for clear running rounding the home turn and again near the 100m where he was disappointed for a run between runners and had to be steadied and shift out to obtain clear running. Title King (S. Scriven) and Deltarara raced wide for the majority of the race.

M. Cahill was dislodged from Heartsun when returning to scale. M. Cahill reported that he had suffered no harm from the fall.

Stewards questioned trainer B. Pengelly and trainer K. Wood as to the riding tactics adopted on Sounds Ready today in positioning the horse midfield today as opposed to its previous two starts whereby it led.

K. Wood stated he had instructed B. Pengelly to lead if possible, however not to bustle the horse as he felt the horse did not finish the race off last start when it worked hard to lead. K. Wood added that he had indicated to Pengelly that horses drawn on his inside possessed pace and he may be better suited finding a position on the pace.

B. Pengelly stated that after initially contesting the lead, shortly after the start he noticed runners on his inside going forward and elected to position the horse just off the pace midfield. B. Pengelly added that Sounds Ready seemed to lose interest in racing today and felt it may be better suited with blinkers. Trainer K. Wood stated he would experiment with changes to the horse's gear and that the horse may be better suited with blinkers and being ridden closer to the lead. The explanation was noted.

When questioned as to his riding and positioning of Alioop in the early stages, S. Katsidis stated that he was reluctant to make use of the horse in the early stages from the wide barrier as it had on previous occasions failed to finish its races off when being tested early to take up a forward position. He added that as a result of the wide draw today, the horse settled back further than he would have liked.

When questioned regarding the performance of Casholet, apprentice J. Wood stated that leaving he 600m he had attempted to shift out to improve, however became held up in a pocket when Deltarara (K. Wharton) improved to his outside. Trainer B. Guy expressed his disappointment that apprentice Wood had not shifted the filly three wide leaving the 600m as the horse races best when sustaining a run from that point.

A post race veterinary examination of Casholet revealed it to be distressed following the race. Trainer B. Guy will be advised that he would be required to provide a veterinary clearance for the horse prior to its next race start.