DOOM MAR 27 - MR NAPPY SCORES AGAIN

By Graham Potter | Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Doomben, March 27, 2010.
Track - Good 3. Rail - out 4.5m.
NMW Handicap - 1200m. Time: 1-09.41. (Carrying 53kg).
1 Mr Nappy; 2 Graciosa; 3 Swirling Moss.

The John Morrisey trained Mr Nappy scored his second successive win in spite of having a tough run in transit being caught wide throughout the running when having no luck from his wide draw.

Mr Nappy was held wide some four lengths off the front-runner Stirling Moss in the early running. The gelding then cornered in sixth spot, five wide and five lengths back. He appeared to falter slightly on the turn but, once he straightened, the four-year-old quickened the tempo with meaning and found a rhythm which translated into a strong, sustained run which allowed Mr Nappy to collar the hard-running Stirling Moss when it mattered most in a hectic finish.

Graciosa flew up late to snare the runner-up placing. The mare had turned for home a length behind Mr Nappy. She lost some ground when switching wider early in the straight, while Mr Nappy powered away on a straight course, and that proved costly as Graciosa ran just on too late to get the result, finishing only a long-neck behind the winner and a half-neck in front of Stirling Moss was relegated to third place in the final few strides.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Jockey Larry Cassidy: “I got across into a good spot. I was sprinting with cover, which really suited me.

“The plan was to sit outside the leader, but they went very quick. There was a line of five and I was just sort of able to slot across behind them. He was able to relax and he found plenty. He kept grinding away pretty tough.

“I think I won a Maiden race on him after he’d run about seven seconds in a row or something. I haven’t ridden him since the Maiden race ... that was about six or seven months ago. They always sort of liked the horse.

“He is a handy galloper and he looked spectacular pre-race. If you were a punter, you would have wanted to have your money on.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Mr Nappy): 7.00 in to 6.00.
Favourite (Charter Boat): 3.80 out to 4.20. Finished sixth.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
L. Cassidy, rider of Mr Nappy, was found guilty of a charge of careless riding, in that near the 900m he permitted his mount to shift in when insufficiently clear of All Stellar (S. Bogenhuber), resulting in All Stellar being taken in on to One Eyed (O. Turpin), which had to be checked when taken on to the heels of Graciosa (G. Lynch).

L. Cassidy was suspended from riding in races for a period covered by 8 meetings, to commence at midnight, 31 March and to expire at midnight, 14 April 2010. When One Eyed suffered interference, Secret Tom (A. Merritt) was inconvenienced.

Slugsbrothernugget (J. Wood) was slow to begin.

Final Crunch (M. Cahill), Mr Nappy (L. Cassidy) and All Stellar (S. Bogenhuber) raced wide in the early and middle stages of the race.

Charter Boat (A. Spinks) was held up for clear running rounding the home turn and was unable to obtain clear running until approaching the 100m.

Willyclang (B. El-Issa) was held up in the early stages of the straight and until a point near the 200m.

Leaving the 300m, Charter Boat, which had been held up for clear running, made contact with Ultra (J. Byrne) when both horse attempted to take a similar run between Swirling Moss and Samui Lad.

Near the 200m, Final Crunch (M. Cahill) had to be checked when tightened for room between Mr Nappy and Charter Boat, which shifted out. A. Spinks, rider of Charter Boat, was severely reprimanded and advised to exercise more care in similar circumstances.

Near the 50m, Ultra (J. Byrne) was tightened for room between Mr Nappy (L. Cassidy) and Swirling Moss (P. Hammersley) when both horses shifted ground. J. Byrne reported that in this incident his horse may have reacted adversely due to it being struck over the head by the whip of P. Hammersley, rider of Swirling Moss.

A post-race veterinary examination of Samui Star revealed the horse to have a small laceration to the front of the off-hind fetlock and showing soreness in that leg. Trainer K. Fleming was advised that a veterinary clearance would be required for the horse prior to its next race start.