EF DEC 19 - TWO-IN-A-ROW FOR HUMMA

By Graham Potter | Monday, December 21, 2009

Doomben, December 19, 2009.
Track - Good 3. Rail - out 3m.
Open Handicap - 2020m. Time: 2-03.86.
1 Humma; 2 Sir Kingsford; 3 Showciti.

The Robert Heathcote trained Humma made it two-in-a-row over 2020m win he came home to an easy win after taking control of matters halfway up the straight.

Jockey Larry Cassidy settled the gelding in the second half of the field as Kentish Rose and Daedalus set the early tempo. The early leaders still held sway coming to the top of the straight, but Showciti (three wide) and Humma (four wide) had improved quickly in the sweep to the turn to be perfectly poised to strike.

Showciti and Humma then made their runs together and actually came together racing past the 200m mark, just as they got to the lead, when Showciti shifted ground outwards under pressure. Cassidy managed to keep Humma’s mind on the job though and he was good enough to assert his authority over the concluding stages to win with 1.30 lengths to spare.

Showciti again ran markedly off a straight line over the final 100m when responding to a slight inward movement from Humma. Showciti’s exaggerated inward movement cost him second place as Sir Kingsford put his neck down on the line to claim the runner-up position.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Robert Heathcote: “I was in Sydney ... I took Our Lukas down there as you know. I was watching it on TV and at one stage I thought, what’s happening here ... we are in trouble. What I didn’t realise the horse on Humma’s inside was boring out. It actually bumped into him and got him unbalanced.

“Larry (Cassidy) said as soon as he got him balanced he went to the line and put it beyond doubt. I’ve watched the reply many times since and it was actually a soft win in the end. The horse is certainly in the zone at the moment.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Humma): 2.10 out to 2.20.
The winner was the favourite.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Sir Kingsford (M. Hellyer) was slow to begin.

Passing the 200m, Showciti (A. Pattillo) shifted out under pressure and made contact with Humma (L. Cassidy). Showciti again shifted out under pressure and made contact with the hind quarters of Humma near the 100m. Sir Kingsford (M. Hellyer), which was trailing to the outside of Humma, was hampered as a consequence.

When questioned, K. Wharton explained that Kentish Rose (K. Wharton) over-raced in the lead in the early stages and near the 1400m where Kentish Rose commenced to settle, Daedalus (S. Katsidis) then raced up to the mare's outside which again caused the horse to pull hard. K. Wharton added that he recommended to connections that consideration be given to the removal of the blinkers over similar journeys.

Stewards sought an explanation from J. Holder in respect of the seemingly disappointing performance of Deacon. J. Holder stated that the horse travelled well, however when placed under pressure near the 600m, failed to respond to his riding and proved disappointing once again. A post-race veterinary examination of Deacon failed to reveal any significant abnormalities.