EF FEB 13 - ARIZONA SUNSET BLINDSIDES THE OPPOSITION

By Graham Potter | Monday, February 15, 2010

Eagle Farm, February 13, 2010.
Track - Good 3. Rail - out 1m.
Class 6 Handicap - 1805m. Time: 1-48.75. (Carrying 53kg).
1 Arizona Sunset; 2 Raincoat; 3 Magic Rocker.

The Pat Duff trained Arizona Sunset stormed home to claim his fourth career win when running down Raincoat late in the contest to score by a head.

The four-year-old went back in the early part, racing in eleventh spot some eleven to twelve lengths off the speed set by Smuggler’s Inn.

Arizona Sunset was still third last and seven wide on straightening. In fact he was so far out of his ground that he didn’t make the commentator’s call at that stage, but his race was anything but over.

Smugglers Inn kicked on gamely at the head of affairs for much of the straight, but Raincoat emerged out of the pack to challenge for the lead inside the final 200m.

It appeared as if Raincoat had timed his move to perfection as he got to the front with less than 100m to run, but he in turn was shot down by the faster finishing Arizona Sunset who, after steadily building momentum in the run home, arrived with a late flourish on the outside to snatch the result away from Raincoat, who had to settle for second place just a head behind the winner.

Don’t forget to take note of the run of Magic Rocker. Magic Rocker, unwanted in the betting at $101.00, was even further back than Arizona Sunset on straightening in a lonely last place.

He was two lengths behind the Pat Duff trained runner when they both began their runs soon after the home turn and he followed Arizona Sunset all the way down the straight as if he was being towed along by the eventual winner. In fact, he made up a length on Arizona Sunset in the run home and he was duly rewarded with an eye-catching third place finish.

It was as big an effort as the winner and it should go in the notebook.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Pat Duff: “No, he never surprised me ... not at all. I thought the horse could win.

“He is a nice horse. I stepped him up because I think he is a bit above average this horse. He won at the (Gold) coast last time ... it was only a Class 3 or something. I know this was stepping up from a Class 3 at the coast, but he had 58kg’s there. He’s been racing with big weights down there.

“In his last run at the coast he won with plenty up his sleeve. Actually Kenny (Pope, who rode him on that occasion) told me to bring him straight to town.

“He’ll be a lot better horse at 2000 ... 2200m. Once he moves up in distance, just stay with him.”

Jockey Jason Taylor: “I actually wanted to be a lot closer. The horse began good, but couldn’t go with the early pace. It sort of wanted to settle back in the field.

“They ran along quite quick in front, so I thought, ok ... this is going to be alright. I lobbed onto the back of Bugsytwoshoes and just got a lovely run into the race from there.

“He’ll definitely get further. He’ll race over 2000m and handle it ... not a problem. He is a nice horse on the rise.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Arizona Sunset): 12.00 out to 13.00.
Favourite (Cameleon): 1.80 out to 2.00. Finished sixth.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
C. Whitely, rider of Magic Rocker, explained that the inside portion of his starting gate bounced back into his mount's face at the start. Hopeson (M. Speers) was slow to begin.

In the straight, Winmara (J. Bowditch) had a lot of trouble obtaining clear running.

Apprentice A. Butler, rider of Smuggler's Inn, stated that on the first turn the horse commenced to hang out, hung out badly from that point on, and in the straight because of its hanging, he could not ride the horse out as he normally would. Stable representative Mr M. Jones was advised that should
Smuggler's Inn perform similarly again, action may be taken against it.

L. Rolls, rider of Chameleon, stated that the horse travelled satisfactorily in running but did not close off the race and, in his opinion, was disappointing.

Mr Brad Widdup, stable representative for trainer P. Snowden, also expressed disappointment with the run and stated that Chameleon may not have travelled as well as hoped from Sydney, and this may have had an effect on today's performance.

Chameleon will be returning to Sydney tomorrow and he undertook to advise stewards if anything comes to light that may assist with the explanation for the performance.

A post race veterinary examination of Chameleon failed to reveal any significant abnormalities and a swab sample was taken.

L. Cassidy, rider of Eureka, stated that he had a nice run in the race and travelled close to Chameleon, but Eureka was disappointing in the straight. He added that the horse was in a very cantankerous mood before today's race, which he thought was most unusual for it.