CAUL JULY 17 - IMPERIAL VICTORY FOR SON OF COMMANDS

By Taron Clarke | Sunday, July 18, 2010

Caulfield, July 17, 2010.
Track – Dead 5. Rail – True.
3YO Handicap - 1400m. Time: 1-24.26. (Carrying 53kg).
1 Imperial Command; 2 Beyond Pardon; 3 Princess Narine.

Although deep into winter, Mark Kavanagh’s team continues to chalk up the winners and this was evident with the impressive victory of Imperial Command.

The sparingly raced Commands gelding came to Caulfield as a promising three year old on the way up, but left with what almost guarantees a black type program for the early part of the spring.

On a red letter day for thoroughbred syndicators with Dynamic Syndications providing two winners, Imperial Command was syndicated by Slade Bloodstock of Alinghi fame. The son of Commands was a $140,000 purchase at the 2008 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale and he took a large step towards recouping the initial outlay for his loyal band of owners.

Imperial Command was ridden by Peter Mertens, who elected to let the gelding find his feet towards the rear of the field after jumping away on terms with the remainder of the field.

The early pace was frantic with the Robert Smerdon trained Beyond Pardon showing his customary early speed to clear out and lead the field by a widening three lengths as he raced past the 1000 metre mark, with the Lee Freedman trained filly Fast Talker having the arduous task of taking the field up to the tearaway leader.

But the margin increased as the strung out field swung down the side of the track approaching the 800 metre mark with Beyond Pardon now six lengths in front of the second horse and Imperial Command sitting fourth last spotting the leader a conservative sixteen lengths with plenty to do.

Peter Mertens did a fantastic job to bide his time on the Commands gelding until rounding the home corner where he decided enough was enough and it was time to get out and moving on the Kavanagh trained horse, stoking him up and bringing him to the outside of several tiring runners.

As the field balanced up and in the early part of the straight Beyond Pardon still maintained a healthy lead of four lengths in front of the impeccably bred Princess Narine who moved to second and Fast Talker who was starting to wilt.

Mertens at this stage was having his own personal battle with Imperial Command who was wanting to lay in behind the Darren Gauci mount Seguro. Once past Seguro, Mertens was able to set his sights on the tearaway leader Beyond Pardon who was starting to paddle inside the final furlong.

With the whip in his left hand, jockey Mertens was able to straighten the Commands gelding up enough to extricate the best out of Imperial Command over the concluding stages and grab the runaway leader Beyond Pardon in the shadows of the post.

The rate in which Imperial Command finished gave him a winning margin of a half neck with a neck back to Princess Narine in third.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Merv Harvey (Mark Kavanagh Racing Manager): “It was a very good win, I was a bit worried when they were going so fast in front, but they had to stop. They were just going too hard I thought.”

“He has always promised to be a good horse and he has had a couple of little issues which he seems to be straightening out. I think maturity ... he has got a bit older and he has got a bit more sensible. He has got the scope to get out over more ground and probably into better races.”

“We’ve had a bit of luck at the Geelong synthetic track (where Imperial Command shed his Maiden ticket in his previous start). We had a horse called Whobegotyou win his first start there, so we have got no worries going there”.

Jockey Peter Mertens: “Look he is a good horse I think. He does a bit wrong in the running ... wants to hang in pretty bad.

"You could see in the straight I was on one rein all the way, but in the running itself he was always looking to hang in. Once he works that out he is going to be better than this class.”

“They built from a long way out and when we straightened up I didn’t think we were going to catch the leader but the last hundred it really walked and we were strong.

\It always sets it up for something to get home, but he is getting home and doing things wrong so he is a better horse than them.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Imperial Command): 10.00 out to 13.00.
Favourite (Beyond Pardon): 4.00 out to 4.40 into 3.90. Finished second.


STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Regal Banter and Dempsey were slow to begin.
My Girl Helen was obliged to race wide throughout.Prior to the home turn, Tan Tat Tess was held up.

Coleman (NZ) shifted in and made heavy contact with the running rail approaching the 300m then shifted out, making contact with Hasta Pronto. Tan Tat Tess, which was following, was hampered as a consequence.

Near the 100m, Hasta Pronto shifted out, taking My Girl Helen out on to the tiring Seguro (NZ). Cudgewa, which was following, had to be steadied and checked away from the heels of Seguro (NZ) and then shifted out, taking Regal Banter and Dempsey wider.

Close to the winning post, Hasta Pronto had to be steadied when tightened for room by Imperial Command (P Mertens), which shifted in.

P Mertens was notified to exercise more care when in similar circumstances in future.

A veterinary examination of Fast Talker which finished near the rear of the field revealed no abnormalities. A veterinary examination of Coleman (NZ) revealed mild respiratory distress.

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