Just 0.6 of a length separated Atomic Force from eventual winner Broken, when he resumed last Saturday at Moonee Valley. His run was very courageous under the huge 60.0kgs.
Off a long spell, things didn’t quite go to plan during the race but nonetheless it was encouraging. At least he kept up with his prizemoney cheques making it 25 from 25 for Darren Smith and he added another Black Type performance to his pedigree.
Only beaten 0.6 lengths looks good on paper but was far more pleasing to the eye.
The weight for a 7 year old horse resuming however was very much a steadier.
Having been to Moonee Valley on 3 occasions now, he definitely struggles around the tight constantly turning track, especially over 1000m. If it was 1200m it would be different as the tempo is not as savage early however he still got a bit lost on the home turn.
Craig Williams reported that he jumped well and put himself there but when he went to give him a small rest in transit after 200m, the horse got further back than where he wanted to be. Also he said he started to track up well but hit a flat spot for about 50m whilst swinging for home before picking up the bit and running on aggressively to the post.
Weight was a factor here when resuming, as much as was the interference. Atomic Force was baulked on two occasions the final 150m once from Vatican, which forced Craig to steer a deeper line and then he certainly did have his running blocked by Umgeton who was forced wide by Unanimously. Craig thought that cost him momentum but would not have changed the result. It most likely cost us about a neck.
Craig said to the owners he was very happy and with his effort and he did have a good blow afterwards. He said we were certainly on target but the 1000m around the Valley is just a bit sharp under the big weights he is now forced to carry as an older horse.
We expected him to be in the one/one on the outside of Vatican. However we eased back off that runner and found ourselves 4 lengths back off the speed in a slowly run race. That was the key. The time was slow as were the overall sectionals. Tommy ran 59.99 secs. That was way off what we were expecting them to be peeling off. His closing sectional was fine and it looked pleasing to the eye.
As for the weights, we gave the eventual winner 4.0kgs, the runner up 6.0kgs and the third placed horse 2.0kgs. With 1.5kgs = 1 length and the margin of our defeat at just 0.6 lengths, it’s clear to see that at level weights we would have accounted for them.
Also Atomic Force was at a disadvantage under at SWP in Melbourne when compared to Sydney. In Sydney, the eventual winner Broken would have carried 57.0kgs instead of his winning weight at 56.0kgs.So the 1kg made a difference. The runner up Umgeton would have carried 55.0kgs instead of 54.0kgs whilst Unanimously would have carried 57.5kgs instead of 57.0kgs.
The scratching of African Pulse didn’t help us either as it took the aggressive speed out of the race which allowed the slow early tempo and slow overall time.
However the biggest point of note was the track bias on Saturday. It was pointed out to us on Sunday that as the rail had been moved to 4 metres out off a first up meeting on the repaired track where the rail was in the normal position. Of the races that had 8 or more runners (r 2,4,5,6,7,8), there were 22 horses in the 3 wide line (inc Tommy) at the 400m and 19 of them finished unplaced. Where there was a wicked fast lane on the fence.
Also the run for the eventual winner on the fence would never have been there if Unanimously didn’t shift out onto Umgeton. In our opinion that certainly cost us 3rd position. However we could not protest about that fact under the rules.
POST RACE RECOVERY: He pulled up a treat. He licked out the feed tin. He went for a walk on Sunday and swum this morning and will do some ¾ work on Tuesday morning.
IMMEDIATE FUTURE: We have reassessed his immediate programme and have made some significant changes.
The Melbourne programme was not ideal and consisted of his next two runs being 3 weeks into the 15/9 McEwen 1000m WFA into the 6/10 Gilgai 1200m SW&P.
The gaps and races do not suit us ideally.
Therefore we have assessed things and decided to return Tommy to Newcastle. He will leave Melbourne Tuesday evening.
We will now run in 3 races in Sydney that suit us far better for the same or similar money.
8 Sep Concorde Gr3 1100m SW&P Warwick Farm - Nash Rawiller booked for the ride
22 Sep The Shorts Gr2 1200m SW&P Randwick
6 October Premiere Gr2 1200m WFA Randwick
This way we get one extra race into him as. He is better placed under NSW SW&P conditions and at WFA.
Importantly his next run is at 1100m, at which he excels and also his second up form is terrific. Far better than his first up form and far better than 1000m form.
Then if he is going well and we have a happy in form horse, we will be going back to Melbourne for the Manikato 1200m WFA and the Patinack 1200m WFA. However the Manikato is still a question mark under lights at Moonee Valley.
He is expected to improve in fitness and being back home in warmer weather may also help, rather than being in the cold Melbourne weather this early part of Spring.