EF MAR 20 - HATS OFF TO HILTON AS POOR JUDGE SCORES AGAIN

By Graham Potter | Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Eagle Farm, March 20, 2010.
Track - Good 3. Rail - True.
Class 6 Handicap (4yo and Up - Entires & Geldings) - 1200m. Time: 1-09.96. (Carrying 56kg).
1 Poor Judge; 2 Craiglea Falcon; 3 Kyros.

Trainer Norm Hilton tends to fly under the radar. Quiet and unassuming, Hilton goes about his business with the minimum of fuss while the results of his runners speak for themselves.

Poor Judge is a case in point. The gelding has won four of his last five starts, the last two of which have come over the Eagle Farm 1200m course.

On Saturday Poor Judge was never in any danger of defeat as he completed career win number seven under a confident ride from jockey Chris Munce.

Initially Munce asked Poor Judge for a brief burst of acceleration from his wide draw so that he push forward into third place. Once there, Poor Judge settled beautifully, albeit still three wide on the track, and he held his position at a comfortable gallop, just two lengths behind the front-running Puccini and a length off the second placed Doonbah Star, until the turn.

Doonbah Star weakened early in the straight and dropped away. By contrast Poor Judge picked up the tempo, but Puccini had a kick himself and the early leader fought on strongly in the first half of the straight.

Poor Judge built momentum though and he took the lead away from Puccini coming through the 200m mark. Once he front, Poor Judge was always going the get the verdict as he maintained a solid run to the line to score with 1.50 lengths in hand over Craiglea Falcon, who chased gamely enough all the way down the straight without ever getting close enough to seriously threaten the winner.

Kyros and the favourite Cornwall Park were doing their best work late and they finished third and fourth respectively. Puccini weakened to finish fifth.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Norm Hilton: “Yeah, he’s a good horse. He has got that will to win and that helps get him there.

“He is a pretty easy horse to train. They always are when they can gallop. He’s been kicking goals for us. I’ve had him for about six months.

“He has been up a long time ... it’s been awhile, but we did give him a bit of a let-up before his last start.

“I think the (dead) track had a big bearing on his run when he was beaten last time (in his only defeat in his last five starts). He didn’t appreciate the wet track ... and his fitness just probably just wasn’t up to scratch ... maybe just slipped a little with his let-up.

“It was tougher company as well, but the greasy conditions didn’t suit him. He doesn’t like the slow tracks.

“I think he might go to the Weetwood next. He likes the Cushion Track as well. He came from well back there when he won two-in-a-row at Toowoomba. He is quite versatile. He probably won’t have another start until then. There’s no race that is suitable for him.”

Jockey Chris Munce: “He did a good job my bloke. He drew awkwardly and the speed was against him. Full credit to him. He’s got a big ticker and he knows how to gallop.

“He was three deep, but he travelled pretty strong. So it wasn’t as if he was off the bridle chasing. He travelled pretty well in himself. I tried to wait as long as I could before I let him down and, yeah, he did a good job.

“His performance had plenty of merit. I wouldn’t put 1400 or a mile beyond him either. He is a lovely, relaxed, good-natured bloke. He’s got the attributes of a nice horse. He’s got a nice strike-rate. It always nice to get on a horse that likes to win.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Poor Judge): 3.40 out to 3.80.
Favourite (Cornwall Park): 2.50 out to 3.00. Finished fourth.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
New Journey (J. Taylor) jumped away awkwardly and shifted out, resulting in One Eyed (O. Turpin) and Cornwall Park (J. Bowditch) both being hampered.

Pleasure Time (M. Speers) also shifted out at the start and made heavy contact with the hind quarters of Poor Judge (C. Munce). Pleasure Time was then taken in by Poor Judge and tightened for room.

New Journey over-raced in the early stages. Poor Judge raced wide throughout.

J. Bowditch, rider of Cornwall Park, reported that as he was aware the gelding wears a butterfly bit he allowed the horse extra rein at the start. However despite this Cornwall Park threw its head in the air on jumping away and lost some ground, and then was further tightened for room between Pleasure Time and One Eyed (O. Turpin).

J. Bowditch added that as a result, he was obliged to take up a more rearward position than he would have liked, and he was of the opinion that if he had been able to position the horse in its customary handy position, the gelding may have won the race.