DOOM JAN 30 - EUREKA SHUTS OUT FROZONE

By Graham Potter | Monday, February 1, 2010

Doomben, January 30, 2010.
Track - Good 3. Rail - out 3.5m.
Class 6 Handicap - 1615m. Time: 1-37.75. (Carrying 53.5kg).
1 Eureka; 2 Frozone; 3 Under Construction.

The Robert Heathcote trained Eureka showed plenty of character in winning second-up over a distance short of his best. The lightly raced six-year-old got the better of the short-priced favourite Frozone in a testing battle over the final 100m to earn the decision by a short-head margin.

Jockey Larry Cassidy was content to allow Eureka to trail Frozone in the second half of the field early. He then moved Eureka past Frozone, saving ground, into sixth mid-race and was up to fifth and quickening with meaning on straightening as Cassidy got to work early on his mount.

Clearly full of running, Eureka bullied his way alongside Under Construction and then took the split between Punch Up and Under Construction with relish to get to the lead with 180m left to run. Frozone was closing strongly now, but Eureka was full of fight and he held Frozone at bay in a concentrated two-way battle over the concluding stages where the result was up for grabs all the way until the final stride.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Robert Heathcote: “Second-up over a mile at 20-1 it was a nice surprise.

“He is the most unusual horse I have ever had to train. He came to be as basically an unbroken five-year-old. So he’d been given plenty of time. The owner was very patient with him. I’m kidding. The owner actually forgot he had him out in the paddock for all that time. He’d got lost. When it came to me I said, what are you going to name it? He said, Eureka ... we’ve found it!

“He showed me early on that he had ability, but we weren’t sure what distance it would be over. It has subsequently shown that he’s a nice 2000m horse.

Last preparation he should have won four-in-a-row. He won two in-a-row. Then he was ... beaten at the coast and then he come back and won again, so we’re delighted.

“I said to Larry (Cassidy) it would probably take us two or three runs this time in to get him in the zone but, through February and March he can win the staying races. He’s done that second-up over a mile. Fantastic. Lovely ride by Larry (Cassidy) and it’s a nice thrill.

“There’s an 1800m race in two weeks and a couple of weeks after that there’s a 2200m and then we go right through the staying series. So it’s working out really well.”

Jockey Larry Cassidy: “I thought he might be one run short today, but geez I was confident with 500 to go when he just picked the bit up and travelled into it. It was only a matter of getting the split. He was too tough for them.

“He’s come back very well and he’ll be winning those 2000 ... 2200m races.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Eureka): 16.00 out to 19.00 out to 21.00.
Favourite (Frozone): 1.90 out to 2.10 in to 2.00. Finished second.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Connections advised that Commanche Warrior would be ridden from a rearward position today.

Frozone (G. Colless) and Commanche Warrior made contact on jumping away.

Stewards sought an explanation from G. Colless in respect of the tactics he employed on Frozone today which saw the horse racing further back than at its most recent race start.

G. Colless stated that on the previous occasion there was a distinct lack of speed in the race and although the horse is only a moderate beginner he felt it best to position the horse in a forward position. G. Colless added that today he was positive from the gates, however when it became apparent in the early stages that the tempo of the race would be quite strong, he did not feel it was in the best interests of Frozone to persist in taking up a forward position and risk being caught three wide. G. Colless went on to add that in his opinion Frozone is better suited over further than that of today's distance. His explanation was accepted.

Trainer R. Heathcote reported that Eureka's first-up performance had disappointed him somewhat, however added that the horse is progressing to a more favourable distance and felt that the horse took benefit from its first-up run and this, coupled with the additional distance of today's event, had assisted in its improved performance.

Jockey S. Katsidis reported that Commanche Warrior relaxed well throughout the course of the race trailing the favourite Frozone, however, when that horse commenced to improve leaving the 500m his mount accelerated momentarily but was under pressure shortly after and tired in the home
straight.

S. Katsidis added that in his opinion Commanche Warrior is not a horse that can sustain a long sprint and he recommended to connections that they revise the horse's riding tactics.