Thunder Down Under
Trish Dunell
Stephen Ralph believes he has been left in "no man's land" with Thunder Down Under after last Saturday's Ellerslie meeting.
The Te Rapa trainer was confident Thunder Down Under could win the Valachi Downs Championship Stakes and when the Street Sense colt ranged up inside the final 200 metres he was sure he would at least get second money.
But then rider Johnathan Parkes spotted a raceday official waving his arms, warning riders of Danielle Johnson still laying on the track just beyond the winning post after being dropped from Romantic Maid, and he responded by easing up on Thunder Down Under.
Thunder Down Under was swamped by Sonorous and Ronchi and had to settle for fifth placing and prize money of $2500 rather than the $19,500 for second placing.
The difference in the placings has put in doubt Ralph's plans of taking Thunder Down Under to Brisbane for a tilt at the Queensland Derby.
"I would have been happy to get second," said Ralph. "That would have been enough to go to Brisbane and he would have gone up the ratings a bit, too. But now I'm left in no man's land with him.
"It's too risky going over hoping he will get in the Derby. He needed to get more rating points and the money in the bin would have helped pay his way."
Ralph says he was initially in shock when Parkes eased up on Thunder Down Under.
"I didn't realise Danielle was still on the track. I had been following the race and was furious at the lack of pace," said Ralph. "When Johnathan starting easing him up I thought he had broken down. I was worried and tore down from the stands."
Ralph is now questioning why Thunder Down Under wasn't declared a non-runner as he didn't fully participate in the final stages of the race.
"Sure we're happy to get the $2500 (prize money), but I feel he should have been declared a non-runner," said Ralph. "It wasn't his fault, or Johnathan's, that he wasn't ridden right out.
"I feel sorry for the punters who backed him. I was so confident he would win and I told everyone I ran into.
"I believe if the race had been run genuinely and there was no fallen jockey he would have won."
Ralph has had little joy with Thunder Down Under since he won the Listed BMW 3YO Salver at Ellerslie last December. He was trapped wide in the Avondale Guineas and after he finished unplaced in the New Zealand Derby he was found to be suffering from a stone bruise.
"I gave him a bit of time off after the Derby and he needed the two 1600-metre races to get him ready for last Saturday," said Ralph. "Now with that happening, I don't know what to do with him." – NZ Racing Desk.
The Te Rapa trainer was confident Thunder Down Under could win the Valachi Downs Championship Stakes and when the Street Sense colt ranged up inside the final 200 metres he was sure he would at least get second money.
But then rider Johnathan Parkes spotted a raceday official waving his arms, warning riders of Danielle Johnson still laying on the track just beyond the winning post after being dropped from Romantic Maid, and he responded by easing up on Thunder Down Under.
Thunder Down Under was swamped by Sonorous and Ronchi and had to settle for fifth placing and prize money of $2500 rather than the $19,500 for second placing.
The difference in the placings has put in doubt Ralph's plans of taking Thunder Down Under to Brisbane for a tilt at the Queensland Derby.
"I would have been happy to get second," said Ralph. "That would have been enough to go to Brisbane and he would have gone up the ratings a bit, too. But now I'm left in no man's land with him.
"It's too risky going over hoping he will get in the Derby. He needed to get more rating points and the money in the bin would have helped pay his way."
Ralph says he was initially in shock when Parkes eased up on Thunder Down Under.
"I didn't realise Danielle was still on the track. I had been following the race and was furious at the lack of pace," said Ralph. "When Johnathan starting easing him up I thought he had broken down. I was worried and tore down from the stands."
Ralph is now questioning why Thunder Down Under wasn't declared a non-runner as he didn't fully participate in the final stages of the race.
"Sure we're happy to get the $2500 (prize money), but I feel he should have been declared a non-runner," said Ralph. "It wasn't his fault, or Johnathan's, that he wasn't ridden right out.
"I feel sorry for the punters who backed him. I was so confident he would win and I told everyone I ran into.
"I believe if the race had been run genuinely and there was no fallen jockey he would have won."
Ralph has had little joy with Thunder Down Under since he won the Listed BMW 3YO Salver at Ellerslie last December. He was trapped wide in the Avondale Guineas and after he finished unplaced in the New Zealand Derby he was found to be suffering from a stone bruise.
"I gave him a bit of time off after the Derby and he needed the two 1600-metre races to get him ready for last Saturday," said Ralph. "Now with that happening, I don't know what to do with him." – NZ Racing Desk.