GCST MAR 10 - ROCKET LAUNCH OUTGUNS CATCHER ROYALE

By Graham Potter | Thursday, March 11, 2010

Gold Coast, March 10, 2010.
Track - Slow 6. Rail - Out 7.5m 1400-400, out 5.5m remainder.
Maiden Handicap - 1200m. Time: 1-11.79. (Carrying 54.5kg).
1 Rocket Launch; 2 Catcher Royale; 3 Danish Liner.

The Harold Norman trained Rocket Launch scored his breakthrough win in his third start when coming home under a well judged ride from apprentice Alannah Badger to score by comfortable one length margin.

The lightly raced four-year-old chased up into third then second from his wide draw and he tracked the leader Catcher Royale until early in the sweep to the home turn, where Badger elected to push Rocket Launch forward to place more pressure on Catcher Royale.

These two runners cornered together, with Rocket Launch just hanging a touch wide, and they then settled down to fight out a two-way contest in the home straight.

Rocket Launch and Catcher Royale matched strides until the Norman trained runner gained the advantage with 150m left to run under a determined ride from Badger and the gelding edged away to win with something in hand over Cather Royale, whose run represented fair improvement from her unplaced effort on debut at Ipswich a month earlier.

Danish Liner chased the first two runners home to finish best of the rest.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Harold Norman: “She is apprenticed to Noel Doyle this young lass (apprentice jockey Alannah Badger). She’s come a long way since she came down from Gympie.

“I think that is the third or fourth winner she has ridden for me. She rides very, very well. It surprises me that other trainers are not taking her on. That really surprises me. She’s only got the one ride today and she’s turned it into a winner.

“The horse is owned in Darwin. I’ve only met the owner once. I spoke to him on the phone. He bred the horse to be a stayer, but he’s only shown me ... although this is only his third start in a race ... he only shown me speed so far.

“This is his first preparation. I’ve probably had him in work four months. He hasn’t had a bad run yet and he put the writing on the wall for this win when he finished second last time.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Rocket Launch): 8.00 in to 5.00 out to 6.00.
Favourite (Tom’s Rocket): 4.60 out to 4.80 in to 3.60. Finished sixth.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Flybefree was cramped for room at the start between Aequitas (J. Holder) and Lady Leo (S. Seamer), which jumped away awkwardly. She's The Bomb (B. El-Issa) jumped away awkwardly.

Tom's Rocket (C. Munce) blundered near the 1000m. When questioned as to the seemingly disappointing performance of Tom's Rocket jockey C. Munce stated that the horse seemed to race greenly and may be looking for further in its races. Trainer R. Rowley agreed that the horse is somewhat immature and may be looking for further distances in its races. A post race veterinary examination of Tom's Rocket failed to reveal any abnormalities.

Near the 900m Aequitas shifted in and away from Lady Leo and made heavy contact with Ma Ma I Love You (M. Palmer).

Near the 850m Sunshine Lass (J. Bowditch) shifted in slightly and made contact with Tom's Rocket, as a result both horses shifted out forcing Sunshine Lass wider and having to be checked from the heels of Rocket Launch (App A. Badger), which shifted in when insufficiently clear. App A. Badger was severely reprimanded and instructed to provide more clearance when crossing.

Near the 500m Danish Liner (J. Byrne) had to be steadied when improving onto the heels of Catcher Royale (J.P. Stanley).

Making the home turn Madame Pentire (L. Cassidy) became unbalanced when racing in restricted room inside of Ma Ma I Love You.

When questioned regarding the riding tactics adopted on Aequitas jockey J. Holder stated that whilst he had been instructed to have the horse positioned where it was comfortable trainer B. Bowditch had advised him that at the horse's previous start it lost concentration when leading and he did not want the horse ridden in the lead.

J. Holder added that the horse was a little slow to muster pace and as a result settled back further than expected, however when back in the field he elected to travel three wide trailing Lady Leo and from the 800m the horse was obliged to race wide from that point.