EF FEB 10 - LA CHANCE FINALE GETS HER DUE REWARD

By Graham Potter | Thursday, February 11, 2010

Eagle Farm, February 10, 2010.
Track - Slow 6. Rail - out 10m.
Maiden Handicap (Fillies & Mares) - 1200m. Time: 1-11.94 (Carrying 55kg).
1 La Chance Finale; 2 Layadelago; 3 Win A Million.

The Tina Cotsiopoulos trained La Chance Finale scored an overdue win when he came down the outside of the track, producing a finishing effort that proved too strong for the opposition.

The mare had finished second in her previous two starts leading into this run and so was due for a change of fortune. Her breakthrough win came in her eleventh career start.

La Chance Finale was not the smartest away but apprentice jockey Alan Chau quickly rallied the chestnut who moved forward to find a comfortable position in midfield. The four-year-old was held wide throughout though and Chau used the free passage to his advantage in the sweep to the turn as he urged La Chance Finale up into a position from which she could launch her challenge.

Cornering six wide in clear running three lengths off the leaders, La Chance Finale was full of running and she extended well early in the straight to move into contention. Her run built natural momentum and it soon became obvious that she was travelling better than any other runner and that she had the measure of the opposition, provided she maintained her effort to the line.

La Chance Finale hit the front at the 200m mark and, although she was kept honest by Layadelago and Win A Million, she never blinked in the concluding stages when seeing off those challengers in convincing fashion. The winning margin was 1.30 lengths.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Tina Cotsiopoulos: “She did deserve that win. She tries really hard.

“I thought she was a little bit closer than normal, but it didn’t really matter. She is a tough horse. No, we’ll leave her at 1200 ... 1400m. That’s her sort of distance.

“She can be a little bit ... what’s the word ... forceful. She is her own woman, but there’s nothing wrong with that. She is really tough. She does what you ask and doesn’t take a backward step really.

“Yeah, it’s good to have that win on the board. She’s been so consistent. In her last six runs, she’s never put in a bad run early.”

Apprentice jockey Alan Chau: “It’s good isn’t it? I can get used to this.

“She began very well. I just thought she would be a lot further back than she was today. Maybe because of the slow track she was able to travel handier.

She was always travelling. Coming around the corner ... I was always travelling and I just didn’t want to let her go too early, you know. I didn’t want her to hit the front too early ... but she hit the front at the right time and pulled away from them.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (La Chance Finale): 3.10 in to 2.60.
The winner was the favourite.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Jacta Alea Esto (J. Taylor) was slow to begin.

Leaving the 700m Sunshine Angel (S. Galloway) shifted out and made contact with Tarmons (M. Hellyer), which was taken wider. Win A Million (J. Byrne), Tarmons and Zadar (G. Baker) all over-raced in the early stages.

Stalwart Flight (M. Speers) raced three wide without cover throughout.

Stewards sought an explanation from J. Byrne regarding the riding tactics he adopted on Win A Million in the early stages of the straight where he was held up behind Lily Markane (K. Wharton) for some distance before shifting to the inside of Annie Rocks (K. Banks) to improve.

J. Byrne explained that in his opinion he was attempting to shift to the outside of Lily Markane shortly after straightening with a view to making a run down the middle of the track as he was of the view that the inside going was inferior.

J. Byrne further added that he was unable to shift to the outside of the heels of Lily Markane as he was not clear of Layadelago (C. Munce), so for this reason, after being held up for a short distance, he had no alternative other than to alter course to the inside. Stewards accepted the explanation.

K. Banks, the rider of Annie Rocks, which performed below expectations, explained that the filly over-raced in the early stages and rounding the home turn, when placed under pressure, in her view did not handle the rain-affected track. A post-race veterinary examination of Annie Rocks failed to reveal any abnormalities.