FLEM MAR 06 - WANTED SECURES ELUSIVE GROUP 1 WIN.

By Scott Gooley | Sunday, March 7, 2010

Flemington, March 6, 2010.
Track - Dead 4. Rail - True.
$1 million Newmarket Handicap (Group 1) - 1200m.
Time: 1-10:11 (Carrying 51.5kgs)
1 Wanted; 2 Eagle Falls; 3 Starspangledbanner.

Peter Moody’s four year old stallion Wanted, finally secured his first Group One victory with a strong win in the Newmarket Handicap at Flemington on Saturday.

The consistent son of Fastnet Rock had been beaten less than a length at each of his last four starts, all in Group One company.

Despite his consistency Wanted was on the fourth line of betting at $13.00 in what was very open Newmarket Handicap. The race favourite was the top weight All Silent ($6.50).

Ridden by Luke Nolen and jumping from gate seven in the field of nineteen runners, Wanted began well and didn’t bother trying to get to the inside or outside rail. Nolan set him on a course in the middle of the Flemington straight and shortly of the start Wanted was up sharing the lead with Oakleigh Plate winner, Starspangledbanner ($8.50).

Tucked in directly behind the leading pair were the well fancied Eagle Falls and King Pulse, both quoted as $10.00 chances.

At the 600m mark, Wanted was travelling comfortably for Nolen and looked to have the better of Starspangledbanner. Kerrin McEvoy, rider of Eagle Falls, began to ease his mount to the outside of the leading pair and, as the frontrunners raced inside the final 400m, Eagle Falls was perfectly poised to launch his final assault.

As the field raced toward the Flemington clock tower, Nolen was starting to get busy on Wanted who held a slender margin over Starspangledbanner.

With the final furlong to run, Wanted had established a three quarter of a length lead over Starspangledbanner who was now joined by Eagle Falls with King Pulse, who had gone back toward the inside, close up in fourth.

At the 100m it looked like Wanted was destined for yet another Group 1 placing as Eagle Falls, who had had a charmed run, loomed ominously on his outside three quarters of a length away.

However, Wanted was not to be denied and found plenty over the concluding stages to stave off all challengers and record a length win from Eagle Falls with a further neck back to the third placed Starspangledbanner.

Race favourite All Silent, finished eleventh, just short of six lengths from the winner.

PRICES: Wanted (13.00); Eagle Falls (10.00); Starspangledbanner (8.50).

WINNERS FEEDBACK:
Trainer Peter Moody: “Terrific ride by Luke. He nursed him and carried him as far as he could.

“It was well overdue and he’s a damn good colt and deserves a Group One on his resume.

“I got to give full credit to Quentin Scott and his team down at Cranbourne. I approached the Stewards for permission to take him away from the stables. I just thought the back-up and seven days (between Wanted’s previous two starts) just might have floored him a bit and Quentin and his staff have done a wonderful job down there.”

“They work on a lot of our horses and we’ve kept him out of the box ... we’ve paddock trained and he’s just popped over a few logs and just had a change of scenery. Fitness wasn’t an issue and they just kept him ticking over lovely.”

“He’s an exceptionally well bred horse. There’s probably no better performed or consistent sprinter in the land and he really deserved a Group One, so I’m very happy.”

“He probably goes down the path to Sydney and the TJ (T.J. Smith Stakes) now, but we’ll sit back and think on it.”

“Today’s the day we wanted. We were unlucky ... well, we weren’t unlucky in the Lightning, we were just beaten by a freakish performance (by Nicconi) ... and we were probably a tad greedy running in the two in-between (in the William Reid and Oakleigh Plate). Thankfully he’s bounced back again for us today.”

Jockey Luke Nolen: “He was still a little bit strong in the run. Pete (Moody) said just try and get along with him, don’t pull him around too much like we have in previous runs and, I got to say, it was right.

“In saying that, we had a horse fifth up in this race, a gross colt and he needed those necessary runs to do what he did today.”

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Prior to the commencement of the meeting trainer Mr M Price advised Stewards that Light Fantastic would be ridden with cover and Gran Sasso would be ridden more forward today and an announcement was made.

Light Fantastic was ridden accordingly and Gran Sasso jumped away awkwardly and settled mid-field.

Inside the 400m Tollesprit was hampered when tightened for room between Nicconi and Arinos which shifted out slightly.

Five Car Stud broke down inside the final 200m and failed to finish. A subsequent veterinary examination of Five Car Stud revealed the horse to be lame in the near-hind and had a suspected broken pelvis. A veterinary certificate of fitness is required prior to Five Car Stud racing again.

N Hall (All Silent) explained that his mount travelled comfortably in the early stages however failed to respond to his riding and therefore didn’t finish the race off.

D Oliver (Nicconi) confirmed his thoughts at its last start effort that the horse is best suited in 1000m races where there is genuine speed.

King Pulse got away from its attendant in the tie up stall area and as a result sustained a severe laceration to its lower lip and multiple haematomas and is undergoing further veterinary examinations to ascertain whether the gelding had sustained any internal injuries. A veterinary certificate of fitness is required prior to King Pulse racing again.

After the running of Race 6 a severe electrical storm went through Flemington. After an inspection of the track and conferring with the Executive of the Club it was decided that the remainder of the meeting be postponed due to the inclement weather and the state of the track.

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