CAUL FEB 06 - HERE DE ANGELS CLAIMS HIS SECOND RUBITION STAKES

By Scott Gooley | Monday, February 8, 2010

Caulfield, February 6, 2010.
Track - Good 3. Rail - True.
Rubiton Stakes (Group 3 - Open - Set Weights) - 1100m.
Time: 1-01.73. Track record. (Carrying 56.5kg)
1 Here De Angels; 2 Lucky Secret; 3 Rostova.

Having won the Rubiton Stakes in 2008 for his then trainer Lee Freedman, the six year old gelding Here De Angels has repeated that effort for new trainer Mark Kavanagh with a strong win in the 2010 edition of the Group 3 contest.

The son of Dehere, who was coming off a second placing to star filly Black Caviar last time, was a $7.00 chance.

Ridden by Michael Rodd and jumping from barrier seven in the field of ten, Here De Angels jumped away only fairly.

Settling down, Rodd was posted three wide and was four lengths off the leading group, made up of Avenue, Happy Glen and Lucky Secret who were racing three abreast.

Turning for home, Here De Angels began to move forward five wide and was two lengths off the pace as the field straightened for the run home.

With 200m to run track specialist Lucky Secret, the $3.30 favourite, had taken the lead and he still held a length advantage over Here De Angels at the 100m mark. The latter had run into second place at that stage and was finishing strongly.

The momentum was with Here De Angels in the last 50m as he collared Lucky Secret on the line to record a head victory in a new course record time. Rostova ($21.00) finished well for third, a further half length away.

Kavanagh revealed that patience and subtle gear changes was the key to gelding’s recent solid form.

“He came to us with some real barrier problems and we had some real drama with him and he’s turned it around.”

“He’s tested me a bit. A few times I didn’t know where we were going with him, but we put that little hat on him - the ear muffs. He’s a little bit eccentric. So am I ... so he and I get on alright.”

Rodd also alluded to Here De Angels’ idiosyncrasies in his post race report.

“He came out of the gates pretty funny. As everyone knows he’s a bad horse in the gates and, as they opened, he was on his back feet, so he sort of sprung out. He didn’t hit the ground running like he normally does.”

But as Rodd went on to explained, the slow start may have been to his advantage.

“With the speed they went, it was the first time I’ve really had him switched off in the run. He had the bridle in his mouth and was just idling along.”

“Once we got to the turn, I just clicked him up and he just came up underneath me.”

Kavanagh suggested that the Oakleigh Plate, to be run at Caulfield over the distance in a fortnight’s time, will be Here De Angels’ next start.

Going to the Oakleigh Plate would mean that Here De Angels will be following the same route as he did in 2008. In that year, after winning the Rubiton, Here De Angles finished second to Weekend Hussler in the Oakleigh.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Near the 250m, Gran Sasso shifted out from behind Happy Glen, which was commencing to give ground, in an effort to obtain clear running.

Lucky Secret and Here De Angels raced wide without cover.

M Rodd (Here De Angels), when questioned, explained that his mount got back on its hind legs just prior to the gates being released and as a result, settled further back in the field than he would have liked, which is contrary to its normal pattern where it races on the speed.

On return to scale, M Pegus (Gold In Dubai) explained that in his opinion, the gelding did not feel right in its action. A veterinary examination of Gold In Dubai revealed no abnormalities.

On return to scale, G Boss could offer no explanation for the disappointing performance of Irish Lights other than that the filly was under pressure prior to the home turn. A veterinary examination of Irish Lights revealed no abnormalities.

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