ELIZA PARK (NEWMARKET) HANDICAP

CAN YOU HEAR THE DRUMS ...

Bold front runner, Sir Fernando, notched up his first city win at Moonee Valley yesterday, downing a quality field in the National Union of Workers Handicap over 1200m.

The Bel Esprit 3YO is clearly above average, having won on debut at Seymour last September before running second at Caulfield – beaten less than a length after being held up for a run for a good deal of the straight.

Sir Fernando found trouble upon resuming at Mornington last month and was only beaten a whisker at Geelong on 3 March.

This is the second Bel Esprit this month to win at Moonee Valley for Mick Price after Monte Bella scored over 1600m on 2 March. Same connections too – including former leading bloodstock agent Bryan Muschialli.

Sir Fernando is out of the Desert Style mare, Ruby Doll, a half sister to Perth stars Playing God (dual Group One winner) and God Has Spoken (multiple Group winner).

HAY LIST SUITS UP

Hay List cut a fine figure at Flemington on Saturday in his compression suit ...
Evidently it assists considerably with muscle fatigue, but what about the poor bugger who has to put it on Hay List?
And to think I used to believe I looking dashing in my Rip Curls!

HAY LIST’S STATUESQUE PERFORMANCE

Black Caviar aside, Hay List is arguably the best sprinter in the world and he went a long way to proving it yesterday with a momentous victory in the Newmarket Handicap.

The ABC’s Daniel Franklin reports.

Champion sprinter Hay List has captured some well-deserved time in the spotlight with a courageous win in the Newmarket Handicap (1200m) at Flemington.

Hay List and Queensland speedster Buffering stalked the leaders before they drew away in the final 150m and raced neck and neck to the line.

The roar from the crowd when Hay List’s number went into the frame typified the level of admiration racegoers have for him.

Admiration not just for his effort to beat 21 rivals and carry 58.5kgs, an impost no horse in the past 50 years has carried to victory.

But admiration for the fact that in any other era (without Black Caviar), Hay List would be attracting similar superlatives and rated the world’s best sprinter.

But Saturday was Hay List’s time to shine.

“Every time we ask him to step up he steps up and does better than we can imagine,” said part-owner Katie Davenport.

“He is a very brave horse. What a champion.”

The win caps a remarkable job by trainer John McNair to bring Hay List back to the track after a serious injury almost ended the horse’s life.

McNair was upset when the Newmarket weights were released but was convinced by the Davenports that the horse should take his place.

“John just wants to do what’s right for him all the time, so I guess he just thought the weight wasn’t quite right and was just trying to protect him,” Davenport said.

“But he got the chance to prove just how good he is today.”

Jockey Glyn Schofield says the 58.5kg was taking its toll in the final 50m.

“He felt it, but fortunately he didn’t have one mare to chase down today,” Schofield said in reference to Black Caviar.

“This fellow deserves his day in the sun, he’s his own history maker today.”

Hay List has raced 22 times for 15 wins and five seconds – four of them to Black Caviar. If not for the great mare, he would have four extra Group Ones to his name.

Photo by Bronwen Healy

TWO IN ROW FOR TYCOON FILLY

Another nice score yesterday for Written Tycoon 3YO, Chinzia, who rocketed home over 1100m at Echuca to notch up her second win on the trot.

Having won at Seymour on 16 February, the Brian Cox trained filly has now three from six with two seconds: a very tidy record given that she’s had very little luck in running throughout her brief career.

Bred and raced by Dick and Swal Sloane, Chinzia is out of the Al Hareb mare, Embers, the dam of five winners from six to race who hails from a solid North American black type family.

After capturing the Australian First Season Sires’ premiership last season (the first Victorian based stallion to take out a national title in over a decade), Written Tycoon (below) retains his lead at the head of the Second Season Sires’ chart.

GOD REWARDED WITH DOUBLE

God’s Own (left) was at it again on Saturday with a two state double via God’s Reward and Call on Kevin.

The Frank Cleary trained God’s Reward was aiming for his third win on the trot after earlier scoring at Moruya (23 January) and Queanbeyan (14 February) when he stepped out over 1460m at Queanbeyan.

Despite coming from the rear of the pack, the 4YO was far too good in the run home, hitting the wire strongly.

Bred by Glentree Downs, God’s Reward is out of the Zabeel mare Zibiza, a half sister to Australian Guineas-G1 winner Jolly Old Mac.

As for the other half of the double, Call On Kevin stepped up at Echuca to record his first win for breeder and part owner KEVAN Wacey.

Kevan has certainly called on God’s Own on numerous occasions and sent his Stravinsky mare, By Any Means in the spring of 2007, with the end result being Call on Kevin.

Based on the authority of yesterday’s victory, it won’t be the last time the 3YO visits the winners’ circle.

HORSE SHOE CAUSES EXPLOSION

Put this one under the weird but sadly true …

The following is a report from the UK’s Telegraph newspaper:

An equine expert, Erica Marshall, was killed when a horse she was treating in an oxygen chamber became spooked and kicked out, sparking a freak explosion which could be heard 30 miles away.

Mrs Marshall, a 28-year-old newlywed, was monitoring a horse receiving oxygen therapy when the animal kicked through the wall of the pressurised hyperbaric chamber.

Its steel horseshoe created a spark which caused a huge blast which threw debris 400m and could be heard 40kms away.

Part of the roof and side of the chamber was ripped off in the explosion, killing the horse and Erica who was watching the horse via video link in a nearby room.

Erica moved to Ocala in Florida in 2010 after she was offered her dream job at the Kentucky Equine Sports and Rehabilitation Centre.

It is believed the horse kicked through the padding inside the chamber and its shoe sparked when it connected with out metal wall - igniting the oxygen.

Erica had been running the chamber for two years had treated between two to six horses every day.

The horse had not been tranquilised before using the chamber as it had been inside four times previously and not had any adverse reaction.

Hyperbaric chambers are used to speed up recovery times in injured horses by exposing them to pressurised oxygen.

Thirty other horses inside the Kentucky Equine Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation Centre were not hurt in the explosion.