Being a student of form (self proclaimed), I was a little bemused by the win of Jugah Shar in the last race of the day (Stony Creek Dec. 27) at TAB odds of around $63-00.
That race was the last leg of the TAB quadrella.
Prior to that race, Jugah Shar had won a picnic maiden at Balnarring in June 2002, and a C1 hcp. at Mgt. over 1500m on a hvy track in July 2003.
18 runs and 18 mnths. later, Jugah Shar comes out at Stony Creek and is allowed to lead on it's ear to win a C2 hcp. over 1600m., inflating the quadrella dividend to a healthy $6200-00 with the first 3 legs won by horses at dividends of less than $4-00. ($1-00 all up at Tab divs on the 1st 3 winners amounted to around $42-00)
Looking at times for the day at Stony Creek, the 3yo maiden hcp. run over the same distance was won in a time of 1.38.1 secs.
Jugah Shar won the C2 in a time of 1.39.6 secs.-1.5 secs slower than the maiden winner.
Amber Folly, the fav. for this race, had run a corrected time of 1.38.65 in winning a C1 over 1600m. at it's prior start at Stony Creek in dead going.
I am unable to find a stewards report for the latest meeting but if it does appear, I'll wager their will be no mention of rival jockey tactics in this race in allowing a horse to dictate terms at such a pace as to make it impossible to run down in the sprint home.
I wonder if the riders of the 2 well fancied horses wil be asked why they were sitting back in such a slowly run race.
What am I trying to say?
I'm not allowed to say it.