DOOM MAR 27 - TEARY EYED SETS RECORD STRAIGHT

By Graham Potter | Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Doomben, March 27, 2010.
Track - Good 3. Rail - Out 4.5m.
Class 6 Handicap - 2030m. Time: 2-03.49. (Carrying 57kg).
1 Teary Eyed; 2 Royal Hope; 3 Under Construction.

The John Morrisey trained Teary Eyed finished with a flourish over the final 150m to claim the fourth win of his career at Doomben on Saturday.

The five-year-old had finished as a beaten favourite in his previous start. He had legitimate excuses for that defeat having been held up at the home turn and then disappointed for a run halfway up the home straight.

Jockey Jim Byrne was on the five-year-old that day and the duo were keen to make amends for that disappointment.

Byrne settled Teary Eyed in sixth spot early where he was content to lope along in midfield some five to six lengths off the speed as Topkapi Palace and Telestah La Vistah set the early target. As the field approached the home turn Topkapi Palace dropped Telestah La Vistah and made an early move for glory.

Teary Eyed was still sixth on straightening, five lengths back and in traffic. With a line of runners in front of him and the favourite Jonka Tiki racing to his outside, Teary Eyed once again looked in danger of having his path to victory compromised, as it was in his last run.

Teary Eyed’s break came approaching the 200m mark. Will Impress, who was racing directly in front of Teary Eyed, made a bold forward move at that stage and, with Jonka Tiki finding nothing extra to the outside of Teary Eyed, that opened up some galloping room for Teary Eyed if Byrne could push him into the gap.

That he did as Teary Eyed, relishing the opportunity, bullied his way past Jonka Tiki. Now in the clear Byrne hit the accelerator button. Up ahead Will Impress was working hard to try and get to Topkapi Palace, who was still in front but starting to wilt under pressure. Under Construction was prominent and threatening while Royal Hope was running on strongly from behind along the inside after being given a ground saving ride by Jason Taylor.

All of these runners had every chance, but none of them could match the committed finishing effort of Teary Eyed who charged home in spirited fashion to beat Royal Hope by a length.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Jockey Jim Byrne: “Look, the other day he had a pretty good draw. I probably rode him a bit too well and I never really got a run all the way down the straight.

“He is quite a big animal and he does need a bit of room. The other day I rode him for luck. I expected them to roll a little. Generally, they do roll a little bit here and you are able to sprint through, but the other day they didn’t open up at all.

‘It did get a bit tight around the 200m mark today. There was probably a three-quarter run there. As we came around the turn I’d basically manoeuvred myself to get that run and there was a little bit of pressure from the horse on the outside to try and squeeze him back in there, but, he is a big animal like I said and once he let down he let down nicely.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Teary Eyed): 4.80 out to 6.00 in to 5.00.
Favourite (Jonka Tiki): 3.80 in to 3.60 out to 3.80. Finished fifth.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Hopeson (J. Holder) and Charvicky (O. Turpin) were slow to begin.

Winmara (P. Hammersley) was caught three wide rounding the first turn and was obliged to race three wide for the majority of the event. Telestah La Vistah (L. Cassidy) was also caught three wide in the early stages before being sent forward by L. Cassidy to contest the lead leaving the 1200m.

Leaving the 800m, Hindsight (J. Bowditch) shifted out to improve and in doing so took Bold Distinction (A. Spinks) wider on the track.

Passing the 300m, Teary Eyed (J. Byrne) shifted out to improve and made contact with Jonka Tiki (M. Speers).

Stewards questioned L. Cassidy as to his riding tactics adopted on Telestah La Vistah, particularly in the middle stages where he appeared to apply pressure to Topkapi Palace (S. Scriven) in an effort to gain the lead.

L. Cassidy stated that after being caught three wide rounding the first turn, he elected to proceed forward in an endeavour to gain a position nearer the rails, however he had to make some use of his mount to cross Will Impress leaving the 1400m and after obtaining a position racing outside Topkapi Palace, he intended to restrain his mount, however when he restrained it, S. Scriven, rider of Topkapi Palace on his inside, also restrained.

L. Cassidy added that when that occurred he then pressured for the lead near the 1100m, however his horse did not have sufficient pace to cross Topkapi Palace and was obliged to race outside that horse before compounding.