DOOM FEB 06 - TOLART’S DRAMATIC COME FROM BEHIND VICTORY

By Graham Potter | Monday, February 8, 2010

Doomben, February 6, 2010.
Track - Good 3. Rail - out 5.5.
NMW Handicap - 1640m. Time: 1-38.37. (Carrying 55kg).
1 Tolart; 2 Mauries Pick; 3 Gold Rating.

The Kelly Schweida stable is currently riding on the crest of a winning wave and another two winners went up behind their name on the scoreboard at Doomben on Saturday.

While Plain Magic’s fourth consecutive win in the feature was the day’s headline, Tolart’s win earlier in the day was also full of merit.

Taken back to second last by jockey Damian Browne, easily ten lengths off the lead in the early part, Tolart merely bided his time for the first 1000m of the contest. There is no rider with more quiet confidence than Browne and, while Schweida was sweating in the grandstand wondering what his horse was doing so far back, Browne, as is his way, got his mount to relax and race comfortably well within herself.

The ten length deficit was still in play on straightening. Browne had angled Tolart out across heels to find clear running and when he got to the outside he pressed the button and asked Tolart to change gears. The mare did so on cue and Browne then simply the mare run its own race as she looked to run down the leaders.

The scene at the head of affairs was a constantly changing one in the straight. The leader Mr Nappy had tried to kick away at the top of the straight. Tolart’s market rival Gold Rating emerged out of the pack to head Mr Nappy inside the 200m mark. Bretonneux threatened in the centre and Mauries Pick was accelerating down the outside ... but nobody was finishing as well as Tolart, who Browne brought with a dashing run to upstage her rivals in a big finish.

In the end, Tolart’s official winning back to the second placed Mauries Pick was a long head.

This was Tolart’s fourth career win from seventeen starts.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Jockey Kelly Schweida: “I was very concerned mid-race. He frightened the sh... out of me. She had a tricky alley. I said to Damian (Browne), the plan was to get in first, and then try to find a position.

“We were hoping to be seventh or eighth ... midfield, she likes to get back. He (Browne) is a very, very gifted jockey this fella. You can tell because no other jockeys pot him. They pot some of them, but they never pot him. He is a superstar ... well, in my eyes ...the way he got her there. I don’t want it over again though.

“I think there is an 1800m race in a fortnight. She’ll probably go there.

“But, look, she is a far superior wet-tracker, so whenever we get to the wet ... she revels in it. Watch out for her then.”

Jockey Damian Browne: “Ah, it was a tremendous run the other day (when finishing third behind Georgio). It was a slowly run race with an on-pace track bias that day too, so he did well to get home like he did.

“They went very quick today, so I never that concerned. I got on to Jimmy’s back (Jim Byrne was riding Mauries Pick). I thought his horse was running well and I thought he would be the one to follow. Thankfully he took me into the race at the right time.

“Yeah, I was well back early. I just wanted to let him do as little as possible in the first half of the race. I knew they would go very quick and if she had clear running over the last 600m she would be hard to hold out.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Tolart): 4.20 out to 4.80. Equal favourite.
Equal favourite (Gold Rating): 3.50 out 3.80 out to 4.80. Finished third.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
As R. McMahon was to be overweight, A. Spinks was substituted as the rider of Eton Hall. R. McMahon was fined $200. Apprentice A. Chau was fined $200 for failing to claim his full allowance on Prince Telesto.

Eton Hall (A. Spinks) jumped away awkwardly and missed the start.

Rounding the first turn, Esparanza (J. Bowditch) improved on to the heels of Glasgow Town (O. Turpin) and then over-raced for some distance. Mr Nappy (G. Colless) over-raced in the middle stages.

Near the 100m, Our Scooby Doo (C. McIver) was momentarily tightened for room between Glasgow Town and Will Impress (M. Hellyer), which shifted in under pressure. Approaching the finish line, Glasgow Town shifted in and made contact with Mr Nappy (G. Colless). Eton Hall raced three wide throughout.

G. Colless, rider of Mr Nappy, reported that when Prince Telesto commenced to tire near the 600m, he was obliged to go to the outside of that horse's heels, and that whilst he gave consideration to steadying his mount at that stage, he was of the opinion that Mr Nappy had been somewhat one-paced during its most recent performances and therefore he felt it was in the horse's best interests to keep improving forward so as to not become embroiled in a sprint home over the concluding stages.