Du Plessis’ pride before a fall
Mark Du Plessis’s stakes-winning ride on exciting filly Talaria at Pukekohe on Saturday gave him ‘‘a hell of a fright’’ and a penalty.
The win in the Listed Murdoch Newell Stakes saw him incur a four-day suspension for careless riding.
Du Plessis admitted the charge after he allowed Talaria to shift inwards soon after the start of the Listed Murdoch Newell Stakes, causing interference to Hasahalo and Midnight Runner.
Stewards handed down a suspension from Wednesday up to and including the following Wednesday, ruling him out of next Saturday’s Eagle Technology Stakes and Trevor Eagle Memorial black-type meeting at Ellerslie.
Warm favourite Talaria was impressive winning the race but her jockey got a scare when Oscar Eight roared home from last to get within a head of the O’reilly filly.
‘‘I probably rode her a bit too confidently, I thought she would win easier than she did,’’ Du Plessis said.
The winner of both of her leadup trials for Du Plessis, Talaria flew the gates to lead and she sprinted clear turning for home.
‘‘She’s got very good natural speed and we got to the fence easily enough,’’ Du Plessis said.
‘‘She’s a really nice filly who’s done everything that’s been asked of her. I’m very excited about her, she’s still improving and there’s more to come.’’
The 2-year-old is owned by Sarah Green and Ger Beemsterboer from the Peter and Dawn Williams and Paul Richards stable.
Talaria and Oscar Eight are on a path to the $1 million Karaka Million at Ellerslie on January 29.
Shaun Mckay was given a suspension of the same length following a careless riding charge on Barnaby who ran second behind Buy Me A Rock in the last race.
His suspension begins at the end of racing next Saturday until the following Sunday.
Leith Innes was fined $350 for not making the contracted weight on Snow Secret in the Counties Cup and was replaced by Michael Coleman.
In a highlight Lasarla produced a boilover win in the Group II Auckland Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes but favourite Francaletta was an abject failure finishing tenth.
After tasting defeat for the first time in her five-start career, Francaletta’s connections were unable to explain the disappointing performance, and a veterinary examination revealed no abnormalities.
Group I-placed mare Girl Of My Dreams suffered cardiac arrhythmia when she tailed the field home in the race.
’’Rider L. Innes advised something had felt amiss with the mare. A post-race veterinary examination found the mare to be suffering from cardiac arrhythmia, with the appropriate veterinary clearance now required prior to racing next,’’ the stipendiary stewards’ report said.
Francaletta’s defeat apart, it was a horror day for trainers Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman who also saddled one of the Counties Cup favourites, Get That Jive who finished ninth.
‘‘Rider advised the gelding had felt sore pulling up,’’ the stewards’ report said. ‘‘A post-race veterinary examination found the gelding to be lame in the left foreleg, with a veterinary certificate of fitness being required prior to racing next.’’
Winner of the Counties Cup (2100m) was Chocante from the inform Cambridge stable of Stephen Marsh.
‘‘He’s nominated for the City of Auckland Cup and the Auckland Cup in March - he’s another winner for Shocking, they’re really coming into their own now,’’ Marsh said.