DOOM MAR 13 - ADEBISI BACK ON WINNING TRAIL

By Graham Potter | Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Doomben, March 13, 2010.
Track - Slow 6. Rail - True.
QTIS 600 2yo Handicap - 1110m. Time: 1-05.38. (Carrying 58kg).
1 Adebisi; 2 Marking Time; 3 Huff And Puff.

It took three runs this prep and plenty of adventure before his number could be posted as a winner again, but Adebisi repaid his followers with a facile win at Doomben on Saturday.

Adebisi came back a winner on debut back in October. It was four months before he reappeared.

Starting at the restrictive odds of $1.60 the good-looking chestnut had put on a buck-jumping display within strides of leaving the barriers when first-up this time in. That he finished second in those circumstances was a credit to his raw ability and he was again the favourite choice second-up and he looked for all the world a winner when streaking clear of the opposition in the first half of the straight.

Few would have believed he could have been chased down, but Hidden Kisses did just that when Adebisi capitulated late in a race that many will remember for Shane Scriven’s unusual ‘left hand, mouth, right hand’ change of whip-hand technique which was carried out at a vital stage of the running.

Not quite controversial, maybe, but Adebisi’s two runs leading into this contest had already had more than its share of ‘interesting’ moments. Undeterred, his followers put the money down again and held their breath.

Adebisi landed in the leading line and jockey Shane Scriven took the colt back to third spot racing some two-and-a-half lengths off the free-running Cosmo Girl who went out intent on making every post a winning one. Eureka Dubai held down second place in the early part racing just ahead of Adebisi.

Adebisi, who had Huff And Puff along his inside and who was being tracked by Marking Time, held his position until the turn where he cornered two wide and he immediately set about reeling in the leader. His progress was gradual at first as it took Adebisi until just inside the 200m mark to go past the tiring Eureka Dubai to get into second place, but he had built winning momentum by then and Cosmo Girl relinquished the lead to Adebisi with 100m left to run.

Marking Time had chased Adebisi all the way down the straight without ever seriously threatening the winners’ superiority. His effort was good enough to earn second place while Huff And Puff also produced a highly creditable run when taking the shortest way home hard up against the inside running rail. His was rewarded with third place.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Desleigh Forster: “Barriers make a difference as we all know. It’s amazing what barriers do.

“We also planned ride him with a sit today. He (Shane Scriven) said he’ll take the sit and ride him quiet.

“The horse is going to the paddock now for ten days to two weeks ... and then he’ll come back for the two-year-old races at the Carnival.”

Jockey Shane Scriven: “I was very confident that we could box seat in spite of the problems we’ve had in his previous two runs. That’s what he has been wanting to do.

“First startthis time in ... I probably made a blue in over-riding him a bit ... you know, being big and fresh and he is a two-year-old colt. He got a bit playful with me that day.” (That was an understatement considering the horse buck-jumped and swerved sharply to the left straight after the start trying to get rid of the rider).

“The other day he sort of began himself and, again drawn wide, I had to let him slide and then he wouldn’t really come back to me. He’s come back to me but when the outside horses caught up to him, being immature, he wanted to race with them.

“So today, drawn well, I didn’t really care where I was. I would have liked to have been a little bit further back. But again, he doesn’t know what he is doing. Instead of just running behind the leaders, when he knew I didn’t want him to go right up forward, he just thought we’d drop back to near last ... so he is still very much learning about racing. He just doesn’t quite know how to get that happy medium yet.

“He’s acceleration off top speed is pretty good when you ask him. So a big, strong horse that he is, he is getting better with racing, but I think, optimum distance-wise, he is a 1400m horse.

“You know, they are talking big races with him. He is a nice horse, back he has got to improve to be competitive in the races we are going to ... but he is on the right track. He had a good blow again today. A couple of weeks off will do him good. He’ll get better and better.”

PRICE FLUTUATIONS:
Winner (Adebisi): 2.80 in to 2.25 out to 2.30.
The winner was the favourite.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
A warning was issued to the connections of Temple Court, which proved difficult to load.

Mr Irresistible (C. McIver), True Blue Angel (J. Byrne) and Leoncino (J. Holder) were slow to jump.
Amandas Grace (A. Spinks) and Emerald Isle (J. Wood) made contact on jumping away. Emerald Isle then shifted in bumping Temple Court (K. Banks).

Rounding the first turn Gold Budda (J. Taylor) over-raced and had to be steadied from the heels of Temple Court.

Just About Ready (R. Hinricks), Heartsareforlove (T. Bell) and Devils Melody (M. Speers) raced wide throughout.

I'llbetricked (M. Hellyer) was momentarily held up and unable to improve rounding the home turn.

Stewards sought an explanation from apprentice T. Bell regarding the seemingly disappointing performance of Heartsareforlove.

T. Bell stated that he had been instructed to take a forward position, however the horse failed to show sufficient speed to enable him to carry out those instructions and he was therefore forced to race further back in the field than he would have liked.

Apprentice Bell added that whilst he was obliged to travel three wide, Heartsareforlove was under pressure approaching the home turn and in his opinion proved disappointing in the home straight. T. Bell further added that in his opinion the horse may have come to the end of its preparation. Stewards intend to speak to trainer's representative Mr T. Edmonds at the earliest opportunity.

Stewards sought an explanation in respect of the performance of Mr Irresistible which after missing the start lost contact with the main body of the field in the early stages and finished a distant last.

Rider C. McIver explained that when the horse was slow to begin, it lost concentration and despite his urgings he was unable to persuade the horse to take a competitive part in the event at any stage. Trainer R. Lipp was at a loss to explain the disappointing run and undertook to trial the horse before racing again.

Following the running of Race 4, the track was upgraded to Dead 5.