Moonee Valley Stewards Report

Published: 27 Dec 2014

Race 1 - CACTUS IMAGING PLATE - 1000 metres:

Stoker - slow to begin.
Mr Jagger - began awkwardly and lost ground.
Haybah - over-raced in the middle stages.
Lucky Fish - Post race endoscopy of Lucky Fish detected a degree of mucus/mucopus that may have affected the horses racing performance; a throat abnormality and a poor recovery were also identified and the colt must gain a veterinary clearance prior to racing again.

The track was upgraded from Good 4 to Good 3 @ 1.34pm after the running of this race.

Race 2 - CHANDLER MACLEOD HANDICAP - 1200 metres:

Mance Rayder - slow into stride. Shifted in near the 100m towards the heels of Our Kaboom, which was giving ground and as a result had to be checked before changing course.
Albert Road - began awkwardly.
I Am Bacchus - began awkwardly.
Tides Of Fortune - raced wide without cover for the majority of the event. Rider Damien Oliver reported his mount ran on okay over the concluding stages however being caught wide was detrimental to its chances; a post race veterinary examination failed to reveal any abnormalities.
Our Kaboom - when weakening approaching the 300m had to be steadied to avoid the heels of Lock And Load which shifted in slightly. Rider Patrick Moloney could offer no excuses for the poor performance of the colt; a post race veterinary examination revealed a throat abnormality which may have affected the colts racing performance and a veterinary clearance will be required prior to racing again.
Shaf - led today contrary to its most recent starts and rider Nick Hall explained he was given no specific instructions however after jumping away well he elected to allow his mount to stride forward. He added the stable did advise him not to ride Shaf along in the early stages as the colt has a tendency to over-race.

Race 3 - QUEST MOONEE VALLEY HANDICAP - 1600 metres:

Bec Said No Credit - shifted in on jumping making contact with Native Land.
Every Faith - slow to begin.
Lonhruge - raced wide without cover for the majority of the event.
Kiss Me Ketut (NZ) - in the middle stages got its head up when racing ungenerously and near the 800m had to be checked off the heels of Native Land.
Mezulla (NZ) - approaching the 300m was inconvenienced and taken wider on the track by Every Faith which had shifted out to improve its position.
Native Land - held up when unable to improve its position passing the 400m and then gained clear running just prior to straightening. Rider Regan Bayliss reported that the mare was not suited to the tight Moonee Valley circuit; a post race veterinary examination failed to reveal any abnormalities.

Race 4 - ESSENDON TERRACE HANDICAP - 1200 metres:

Kievann - slow to begin. Raced wide without cover from the 800m. Rider Mark Pegus attributed the poor performance to being slow away and a post race veterinary examination failed to reveal any abnormalities.
The Ten Bob - slow to begin and then became unbalanced after receiving a bump from Counted (NZ), which shifted in slightly.
Search Squad (NZ) - knuckled on jumping away. Rider Ibrahim Gundogdu reported his mount did not feel right in its action and a subsequent veterinary examination revealed the gelding to be lame in the near foreleg and a veterinary clearance will be required prior to racing again.
Counted (NZ) - approaching the 800m got its head up when over-racing.
Athenian Girl - had to be checked near the 500m when tightened for room between Kuaima which when weakening shifted out slightly and Wales (Nick Hall) which shifted in. Nick Hall was advised to exercise more care when shifting ground in future.
Mahican - in the middle stages had a tendency to over-race.
Magnus Reign - raced wide without cover for the majority of the event.

Race 5 - MELBOURNE SIGNAGE CONCEPTS HANDICAP - 2500 metres:

Grand Dette - slow to begin (three lengths).
Heater - bumped and taken wider on the track by Malabar Man passing the 900m. Approaching the 700m became unbalanced when bumped by Malabar Man (Jake Bayliss) which shifted out to improve its position.
Crafty Cruiser - when making ground along the inside was then held up and unable to improve its position approaching the 400m.
Kazemi (NZ) - held up rounding the home turn and until near the 100m.
Western Heir - had to be steadied off the heels of Kazemi (NZ) (Brad Rawiller) near the 50m due to Kazemi (NZ) shifting in to obtain a clear run. Brad Rawiller was reprimanded and notified to exercise more care.
Who Says Im Ready (NZ) - at the winning post had to be steadied off the heels of Malabar Man.
Purple Smile - rider Michael Walker reported the gelding may have come to the end of its preparation; a post race veterinary examination failed to reveal any abnormalities other than the gelding lost its near hind plate during the race and connections confirmed that Purple Smile would now go for a short spell.
Jake Bayliss (Malabar Man) - pleaded guilty to a charge of careless riding under the provisions of AR137(a), the carelessness being that passing the 700m he permitted his mount to shift out to obtain a run to the outside of Murphys Delight (IRE) where there was insufficient room to do so, resulting in Heater being tightened out onto Tanah Lot (NZ) and was hampered. Jake Bayliss had his permit to ride in races suspended for a period to commence at midnight December 29th 2014 and to expire at the completion of the day meeting on January 9th 2015, a total of twelve race meetings (three metropolitan, nine provincial). In assessing penalty Stewards took into account Jake Baylisss guilty plea and that the careless riding was in the mid-range.

Race 6 - DRUMMOND GOLF HANDICAP - 1000 metres:

Klishina - had to be re-plated behind the barriers and also underwent a veterinary examination before being passed suitable to race resulting in a four minute delay to the start of the race. Slow to begin.
Beach Front - second placegetter; rider Stephen Baster lodged an objection against Sweet Emily (first placegetter) alleging interference near the 500m. On the evidence it was established that near the 500m Sweet Emily shifted in and inconvenienced Beach Front however the Stewards could not be comfortably satisfied the degree of interference was greater than the final margin of a long neck and therefore the objection was dismissed and correct weight was declared.
Vibrant Rouge - inconvenienced shortly after the start by Whistle Baby which shifted out slightly. Rider Damien Thornton explained that the mare did not show customary speed however would be better suited to races longer than the 1000m of todays event; a post race veterinary examination failed to reveal any abnormalities.
Pearly Whites - approaching the 800m was hampered and taken in slightly by Unique Storm which shifted in before being straightened. Rider Chris Parnham reported that the mare travelled well although suffering some interference in the early stages however did not respond to his riding when placed under pressure in the straight; a post race veterinary examination failed to reveal any abnormalities.
Unique Storm - raced wide without cover for the majority of the event.
Brave Journey - held up for a run rounding the home turn until gaining a tight run to the inside of Pearly Whites upon straightening.
Whistle Baby - held up for a clear run rounding the home turn and in the early part of the straight.
Harry Coffey (Sweet Emily) pleaded guilty to a charge of careless riding under the provisions of AR137(a), the carelessness being that near the 500m he permitted his mount to shift in when not sufficiently clear of Beach Front resulting in Beach Front being inconvenienced. Harry Coffey had his permit to ride in races suspended for a period to commence at midnight December 27th and to expire at midnight January 2nd, a total of eight race meetings (one metropolitan, seven provincial). In assessing penalty Stewards took into account Harry Coffeys guilty plea and that the incident was in the low range.

Race 7 - DILMAH EXCEPTIONAL TEAS HANDICAP - 2040 metres:

Jileks Spur - slow to begin.
More Rewarding - began awkwardly. Rider Regan Bayliss reported that the gelding may have come to the end of its preparation. Post race endoscopy of More Rewarding detected a degree of mucus/mucopus that may have affected the geldings racing performance and a veterinary clearance must be obtained prior to racing again.
Spellrocker - jumped away awkwardly lost ground and settled further back than anticipated.
Polkaface - began awkwardly. Near the 1500m was hampered when tightened for room by Navajo Run (NZ) (Patrick Moloney) which shifted in away from More Rewarding. Patrick Moloney was notified to exercise more care.
Honey Steels Gold - had to be eased near the 100m on the first occasion when racing tight to the inside of Navajo Run (NZ) (Patrick Moloney). Patrick Moloney was reprimanded and notified to exercise far more care when shifting ground in future. Then had to be checked passing the winning post on the first occasion when tightened for room by Navajo Run (NZ), which was in turn taken in by More Rewarding which shifted in away from Lycka Till. Stewards could not attribute blame to any one particular rider and took into account Michael Walkers (Honey Steels Gold) evidence that he failed to negotiate the turn and therefore no action was taken.
Gold Medals (NZ) - from approaching the 400m until straightening was held up when unable to obtain a clear run.
Tejon - rider Nick Hall was severely reprimanded for using his whip seven times prior to the 100m in a forehand manner.

Race 8 - SPORTINGBET POWERED BY WILLIAM HILL HANDICAP - 1600 metres:

Already Taken - underwent a veterinary examination behind the barriers and was passed suitable to race.
Im Ablaze - checked on jumping away when tightened by Kincaple Chief (NZ) which was taken in by Eye The World and Northern Lyric which shifted out. A post race veterinary examination failed to reveal any abnormalities.
Meteor Shower - passing the 400m had to be checked when tightened for room between Sir Mask, which was brushed and shifted in away from Bel Rhythm, and Lucky Edge which initially shifted in and then shifted out abruptly when being straightened by its rider; as no one rider was fully responsible for the incident all riders were advised to exercise more care.
Eye The World - inconvenienced just prior to straightening by Meteor Shower.

The Stewards Report is published by Racing Victoria, and can be viewed here.