SCST JAN 22/24 - HUGHES KICKS OFF SENIOR CAREER WITH TWO WINNERS

By Graham Potter | Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Michael Hughes had his first meeting as a senior jockey at Coloundra on Friday and he jumpstarted the next stage of his career with a winner in his very first ride.

That win came aboard the Dennis Heinemann trained Allways Inthedough who outgunned Moon Lady in a two-way battle for the honours in the opening race on the card. Hughes guided the lightly raced, grey, four-year-old mare to a comfortable one length victory in the end.

Hughes finished unplaced on his second ride on the day, but then returned to the Sunshine Coast track for only one ride on Sunday ... and he won that race as well.

This time the result was never in doubt as the three-year-old chestnut Bevagna, trained by Mick Mair, simply carried too much firepower for the opposition, to score in fine front-running fashion by 2.25 lengths.

“Look, it’s nice to start off that way,” said Hughes, “but all you can say about it really is that I got on a couple of good horses! That's about it.”

Sunshine Coast, January 22, 2010.
Cushion Track.
Maiden Plate (Set Weights) - 1600m. Time: 1-40.74 (Carrying 55.5kg).
1 Allways Inthedough; 2 Moon Lady; 3 Craiglea Astra.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Dennis Heinemann: “It was just looking for that extra ground.

There was a point where I thought she was just awful slow. We got her going and all she is looking for is ground obviously. She doesn’t sprint real quick, but she keeps coming ... and she is such a lovely, little horse to work with and everything.

“She’s got a beautiful temperament. Looking for ground you have got to have that temperament anyway. We are not aiming too high but we’re heading in the right direction.

“If you look in the book, we’ve taken her from a 1000 to a 1400 to a mile. I might give her another one at a mile and then decide whether she wants further then or whether she will go for a spell.”

Jockey Michael Hughes: “Yeah, that was my first ride since I came out of my apprenticeship. It all worked out well, didn’t it?

“The horse should probably have won its last start. It was just greenness that got the better of it. He was just inside of horses ... outside of horses ... but it ran a good race last start.

“It got the same sort of run today. The leader pulled hard early and I just got to sit off it. She popped out and she always had them covered. She was always comfortable.

“She is a beautiful horse ... lovely and quiet. You can do anything you want with her. She is still learning to race. Once she gets over that part of it, she’ll make a nice little racehorse.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Allways Inthedough): 3.30 out to 3.40.
Favourite (Rusty Trawler): 2.50 in to 2.30. Finished sixth.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Touchwood (A. Pattillo) was slow to begin.

Passing the 1400m, Touchwood (A. Pattillo) commenced to over-race on the heels of Indya Monsoon (R. Hancock) and had to be restrained. Leaving the 1200m, the saddle on Craiglea Astra shifted forward, placing its rider K. Mizobe at a disadvantage for the remainder of the race.

Near the 700m, Seebohm (G. Butler) shifted in and made contact with Rusty Trawler (G. Killen). Catch Kathleen had a tendency to lay in for the entire straight. Catch Kathleen (S. Guymer) and Seebohm (G. Butler) raced wide throughout.

When questioned regarding the performance of Rusty Trawler, which performed below market expectations, jockey G. Killen stated that after being trapped in a three-wide position in the early stages, he was obliged to improve forward and was able to take up a position one- off the rail near the 1200m.

G. Killen added that Rusty Trawler travelled well throughout running, however when placed under pressure, the gelding failed to respond to his riding and, in his opinion, proved disappointing. A post-race veterinary examination of Rusty Trawler failed to reveal any significant abnormalities.


Sunshine Coast, January 24, 2010.
Track - Good 3. Rail - True.
Class 3 Handicap - 1200m. Time: 1-11.05. (Carrying 55kg).
1 Bevagna; 2 Logie; 3 Jeweller's Gem.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Jockey Michael Hughes: “I won on her in town ... probably twelve months ago. That was in her first prep. She does go good. She does go good.

“There were a couple of runs there where she was hanging out and running into a few problems, but I think Mick (Mair) has got her back on track. She’s been going alright in her work and she put it in today. She bounced out, put her on the bit ... cuddled her. She started to look around a bit close to the finish, but she was doing it pretty easy there in the end.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Bevagna): 3.80 steady.
Favourite (Jeweller’s Gem): 3.20 out to 3.30 in to 3.00. Finished third.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Bevagna (M. Hughes) began awkwardly. Swell (J. Byrne) and Maccacino (M. Palmer) both over-raced in the early stages.

Near the 150m, Mirabeau (G. Baker) had to be steadied when crowded for room when racing between High Spire (C. Reith) and Ruakiwi Roller (J. Kropp), both of which shifted ground under pressure. Mr Solitary (J. Holder), Logie (J. Taylor) and Ruakiwi Roller (J. Kropp) raced wide throughout.

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