DOOM JAN 26 - OH SO SMOOTH WIN FOR JOHNNIEONTHEROCKS

By Graham Potter | Thursday, January 28, 2010

Doomben, January 26, 2010.
Track - Good 2. Rail - out 0.5m.
NMW Handicap - 1350m. Time: 1-19.08. (Carrying 54.5kg).
1 Johnnieontherocks; 2 Prince Lionheart; 3 Stature.

Jockey Jim Byrne ride his fifth winner at the meeting when he partnered the Jason McLachlan trained Johnnieontherocks to victory. It was the lightly raced gelding’s third successive win and it took the four-year-old’s race record to four wins, one second and one third place from eight starts.

It wasn’t exactly an armchair ride, but it did turn out to be Byrne’s most comfortable winner on the day in terms of the winning margin as Johnnieontherocks stormed home a full 2.80 lengths clear of the second placed Prince Lionheart.

Johnnieontheroacks worked his way to the lead early. He was then pressured by Mohawk in the sweep to the turn, but he quickly shrugged off that challenge on straightening and then issued a challenge of his own, calling out anyone who thought they could do better to try and come and get him as he set sail for home in determined fashion.

It quickly became apparent that nobody could match Johnnieontherocks. Although Byrne had to keep him honest all the way, the gelding had his race won well before he crossed the line.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Jason McLachlan: “He is a horse with plenty of upside and he’s always shown me plenty. People bagged the cushion track form, but there were a couple of reasons why I ran him on it.

“There is a method in my madness, because everybody knows to be a horse trainer you’ve got to be mad, but I’ve gave him two runs on the cushion because he is a rising five-year-old having his eighth start. Obviously there is only one reason. He has had a lot of problems ... leg problems.

“Every trainer will know they’ve got horses in their stable which are day to day propositions. He looked good today. If I can stand him up, without kidding ourselves, he’ll go through his grades.

“The cushion is a great surface and an even surface and so I just gave him a couple of kills on that. I said to Jimmy before the race, if he runs to his work ... I never like to say they will just win ... but he’ll win on his work.

“I knew he would convert his form to the turf. It’s a great track to get them ready on the cushion and give them a couple of runs on. I’ve done that in the past. Nine times out of ten, if the horse is good enough, the form will convert, mate.

“He is by Stravinsky out of a Zabeel mare. He handles the sting out of the track. So, you know, you’ll look at late in the carnival at a lower tier race. To do that you’d have to put him out for a while now. It’s pretty hard to put them out when they win like that though, isn’t it?"

Jockey Jim Byrne: “He has been placed on the grass before, but obviously it was a little bit of a concern because he’s wins on the cushion were quite dominant. I was a little bit concerned coming to the grass again, but Jason (McLachlan) just said to me, don’t worry about it. He’ll bring that form to the turf. I’m very happy he did.

“You know what, he was a little bit sluggish out of the machines. He is the sort of horse ... he is a confidence runner, so you have really got to do a bit of work on him early to let him get there. Once he is up there he relaxes really well. A mile wouldn’t be beyond him.

“Yeah, five winners on the day is my personal best. I think the last time I did it was in Macau.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Johnnieontherocks): 4.40 in to 3.60.
The winner was the favourite.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Mowhawk was penalised an addition of 1 kilo, after winning at Toowoomba on 23 January 2010, for this race.

M. Tidmarsh trainer of Somewhere Safer, which was reluctant to proceed to the start and proved difficult to load, was advised that the horse must trial to the satisfaction of stewards before racing again.

Somewhere Safer (App J. Wood) and Rocklet (B. Pengelly) were both slow to begin. Mohawk (J. Bowditch) and Prince Lionheart (App C. McIver) both raced wide in the early stages.

Approaching the 800m Stature (K. Banks) improved to the inside of Mystic Vibe (App A. Butler) where there was insufficient room and had to be checked. At the same stage Ashlee's Jewel (A. Taylor) over-raced and made the 800m turn awkwardly and lost ground resulting in Yuketan (M. Palmer), which was following, having to be checked. Lovmieko (App L. Rolls), which was trailing Yuketan was also hampered as a consequence.

Goldfinger (S. Seamer) had difficulty securing clear running over the final 200m of the event, resulting in S. Seamer being unable to fully test that horse. Near the 150m Somewhere Safer was tightened for room between Glasgow Town and Supreme Show (App M. Hellyer), which shifted out under pressure.

Lovmieko was momentarily held up inside the 100m. Leaving the 100m Supreme Show was tightened for room when racing between Glasgow Town (L. Cassidy) and Lovmieko, which shifted ground. Somewhere Safer which was trailing was inconvenienced. Supreme Show and Glasgow Town (L. Cassidy) both raced wide throughout the event.

Stewards sought an explanation from B. Pengelly in respect to the performance of Rocklet and the reasons for his apparent lack of vigour in the home straight.

B. Pengelly explained that after being slowly away Rocklet did not feel comfortable during running and after testing the horse in the early stages of the straight he became concerned with the filly's action and therefore, did not ride it with his usual vigour over the concluding stages. After considering his explanation and viewing the patrol footage stewards accepted the explanation.

A post race veterinary examination of Rocklet failed to reveal any significant abnormality and stewards will interview trainer K. Kemp regarding Rocklet's recovery in the days subsequent to today's event.

Stewards sought an explanation from A. Taylor regarding Ashlee's Jewel racing in a more forward position today. A. Taylor stated that the horse with the addition of blinkers again today was able to obtain a more forward position however, over-raced badly and was reluctant to settle in the early stages and as a result failed to finish the race off as expected.

More articles