DOOM FEB 06 - RED SPHERE TOO HOT TO HANDLE

By Graham Potter | Monday, February 8, 2010

Doomben, February 6, 2010.
Track - Good 3. Rail - out 5.5.
Open Handicap - 1350m. Time: 1-18.35. (Carrying 55.5kg).
1 Red Sphere; 2 Charming Rogue; 3 Pertinence.

The John Morrisey trained Red Sphere maintained his perfect record for 2010 when he outgunned Charming Rogue in a spirited two-way battle down the straight to win going away by a half-length margin.

Red Sphere and Charming Rogue landed together at the jump but while apprentice Allan Chau (on Charming Rogue) pushed forward intent of making every use of his 3kg claim, jockey Glen Colless was happy to settle Red Sphere in fourth place on the rail some two lengths behind the leader.

There, Colless held a watching brief on the front-runner. Colless knows Charming Rogue very well (having ridden the gelding in his last three starts) and he edged Red Sphere into third early in the sweep to the turn to hold his position and he was alert to the danger Charming Rogue posed when the Alan Bailey trained runner quickening the tempo coming past the 600m mark.

Colless countered that move to ensure that he lost no ground approaching the turn and Red Sphere was still holding his own still two lengths in arrears, now in second place, as the field turned for home.

With the balance of the field under pressure and not close enough to have any influence in the outcome, it came down to a race in two as early as the top of the straight. Charming Rogue, in front and kicking on strongly, was clearly going to provide a real test of both Red Sphere’s ability and resolve, but the latter proved equal to the task.

Red Sphere closed up gradually, then raced alongside Charming Rogue from the 180m to the 100m mark before edging ahead of his rival over the concluding stages to earn his ninth career victory with a thoroughly, polished and professional performance.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Jockey Glen Colless: “Yeah, at one stage I thought it was going to be hard to get past him (Charming Rogue). There was probably 4kg or 5kg difference today. He (Charming Rogue) went along in front. When he did slip away at the 600 ... I thought, oh it might be the old Charming Rogue back today. It might be hard to get past him.

“Once I got inside the 200m, I thought well now I’ve got him beat.

“He’s flying the horse, isn’t he?

“He probably could get further. He is such a big, relaxed fella. He might get a mile ... but he’s going so well over this sort of trip (1350m). We’ll just leave that up to John (Morrisey).”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Red Sphere): 2.90 out to 3.30 in to 3.00.
The winner was the favourite.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
After leaving the 100m, On The Up (L. Cassidy), which was improving quickly into a run, had to be steadied when both it and Snackman (M. Hellyer) were tightened for room by Soiled (B. Pengelly), which shifted in. B. Pengelly, rider of Soiled, was advised to exercise more care in similar circumstances. Soiled lost its off-fore plate in running.