CAUL JAN 26 - INNOCENT GAMBLE PAYS DIVIDENDS

By Scott Gooley | Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Caulfield, January 26, 2010.
Track - Dead 4. Rail - Out 9m.
Blue Diamond Preview (2yo C&G - Set Weights - Listed) - 1000m.
Time 57.50. (Carrying 54kg).
1 Innocent Gamble; 2 Marmaa; 3 Pellizotti

Well bred two year old, Innocent Gamble took out the Colts and Geldings division of the Blue Diamond Preview on debut at Caulfield on Australia Day.

A half brother to well performed thee year old Viking Legend, Innocent Baby was a solid $5.00 proposition in betting off the back of his impressive two and three quarter length trial win at Sale earlier this month.

Jumping from barrier two, the son of Elvstroem began well to lead in the initial stages before Marmaa, who had drawn the rails, pushed through on his inside to take up the running.

“He really pinged the lids but then sort of waited for them when he got there,” stated Innocent Gamble’s jockey, Damien Oliver.

Heading down the side of the Caulfield track, Innocent baby was three quarters of a length off Marmaa.

As the field began to make the turn, Innocent Baby’s lack of race experience told as he hung out, allowing Marmaa - who was hard up against the rails, to establish a length and half lead.

At the 200m mark, Marmaa still held a margin of just on a length before Innocent Gamble showed his raw ability to get the better of Marmaa and record a victory by three quarters of a length form Marmaa ($14.00).

Third placing was secured with an eye-catching run by Pellozitti ($5.50)

“The leader snuck away from the turn but, when I got into him, he really responded well.” Oliver confirmed.

Innocent Gamble’s trainer, Mark Riley reported after the race that the colt came within a whisker of joining Gai Waterhouse’s stable as a yearling.

“Fortunately for us, we bred this bloke and because I’ve got other partners involved in the horse, the idea was we’d run him through the sale and if he meet the market, he would be sold.”

“If not, we’d take him home.”

“I bought him back at $150,000.00. Gai was the under-bidder unfortunately for her.”

The reserve price was set at $160,000.00.

“He’s still got a lot of improvement in him. He’s still an immature horse and he’s going to be a better three year old but, it’s very hard to pass over a race like the Blue Diamond when you’ve got a precocious horse like him.” Riley added.

A full brother to Innocent Gamble will be offered at the Inglis Premier Sale at Oaklands in March.

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Innocent Gamble): 5.00 steady.
Favourite (Songspur): 2.70 out to 3.70. Finished fourth.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Star Demon jumped away awkwardly and lost ground. Achievements was a little slow to begin.

Passing the 800m Songspur got its head up when being restrained resulting in Apres, which was following, also commencing to over-race and get unbalanced when it was restrained.

Approaching the 600m Ello Ello was over-racing and improved between Songspur and Achievements where there was restricted room, this resulted in Ello Ello becoming unbalanced when being restrained.

Achievements raced wide without cover. Achievements hung out rounding the home turn and continued to hang out in the straight. Innocent Gamble also hung out rounding the home turn and in the straight and as a result D Oliver had difficulty riding the colt out in his normal manner.

Post race veterinary examinations of Songspur and Star Demon both revealed no abnormalities.
A post race veterinary examination of Achievements revealed the colt to be showing signs of soreness in the near fore-leg and trainer Mr P Moody was advised a veterinary certificate of fitness is required prior to Achievements racing again.