RHILL FEB 27 - MONTANA FLYER BEATS CHAKVETADZE BY A HALF-HEAD

By Scott Gooley | Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Rosehill, 27 February 2010.
Track - Good 3. Rail - Out 6m.
Millie Fox Stakes (Group 3 - 3yo and up Fillies and Mares - Quality) - 1300m.
Time: 1-16.85. (Carrying 55kg).
1 Montana Flyer; 2 Chakvetadze; 3 Subtle Cove.

Montana Flyer has been rewarded for her consistency with a hard fought victory in the Group Three Millie Fox Stakes at Rosehill on Saturday.

Having finished second in both of her starts since returning to racing in January (her most recent most effort coming in the Group Two Breeders Classic when beaten by Alverta), the four year old mare was accordingly well supported in the market ($3.90).

Ridden by Blake Shinn and starting from the outside gate of the eight horse field, Montana Flyer as expected, jumped well and immediately went in search of the lead, but she were not the only one looking for a forward position.

Jockey Jimmy Cassidy was keen to make full advantage of the inside gate aboard Bejewelled and he also went forward in a hurry, kicking up inside Montana Flyer and keeping the Gai Waterhouse trained mare one off the fence, despite being a half length in front.

As the pair battled for the lead in the early part of the race, they not only established a solid pace, but also pulled themselves six lengths clear of their rivals.

When it became evident to Shinn that he was not going to be able to wrestle the lead off Cassidy, he elected to restrain his mount.

Racing down the side of the Rosehill circuit Bewjelled, courtesy of the inside running, held a slight advantage over Montana Flyer. The field had closed up now and there was a little more than a length to third placed Subtle Cove and a similar margin to race favourite, Chakvetadze ($2.80)

Straightening for the run home, Bejewelled maintained her slender lead over Montana Flyer with Subtle Cove peeling three wide and wider still was Chakvetadze who was now staking her claim.

At the final furlong pole Bejewelled had battled her way to a three quarters of a length lead from Montana Flyer who was now being joined by Subtle Cove and Chakvetadze.

Inside the final 100m, the early effort was beginning to take a toll on Bejewelled and her lead quickly eroded as Montana Flyer, showing great determination, fought back and together with Chakvetadze and Subtle Cove, hit the line locked together.

After calling for the photo, the judge declared Montana Flyer the winner by a half-head margin from Chakvetadze and there was only a further short half-head back to Subtle Cove ($21).

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Gai Waterhouse: “Absolutely fantastic! She came back with such vengeance. She was really beaten in the straight. I am so delighted to see Blake just be able to pick her up.

“I told him (Blake Shinn) that probably Jimmy (Cassidy - aboard Bejewelled) would go forward and take him on ... and, if he did, just wait for two furlongs then maybe take a sit - which he did and she came back to him nicely, didn’t she?”

Jockey Blake Shinn: “Full credit to Gai (Waterhouse). You really can’t write her horses off. It was a really good win by the horse today.

“She fought hard. She had to come back off the canvas ... probably three or four times I thought she was going to get beat. It was a courageous effort and a well-deserved win.

“We’d discussed that I would just let her bowl along early. I thought at one stage, I was going to be able to just roll to the front, but I was going to have to do too much work, so I elected to come back.” Blake continued.

“She’s better left rolling and that’s what Jimmy did (with Bejewelled) which helped my horse. Yeah, like I say, it was a good, tough effort.”

PRICES:
Montana Flyer (3.90); Chakvetadze (2.80 favourite); Subtle Cove (21.00).

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Subtle Cove jumped in at the start, badly hampering Chakvetadze in onto Magic Model, which in turn was taken in onto the hindquarter of Purrpurrlena.

S Katsidis, rider of Chakvetadze, pleaded guilty to a charge under AR137A(5)(a)(ii) for using his
whip on eight occasions prior to the 100m (three additional than permitted under the
rule). As this was S Katsidis’ first offence, a penalty of $200 was issued.

A post race veterinary examination of Vintage Rock revealed the mare to be lame in the off-foreleg. Trainer Mrs B Joseph was advised she must provide a veterinary certificate of clearance prior to the mare’s next start.

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