Hidden trap snares race favourite
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Adebisi is in trouble as Hidden Kisses and Brad Stewart storm past (Noel Pascoe photos)
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After only two starts the Robert Heathcote-trained Hidden Kisses has possibly too many options in her blossoming career.
While connections have half an eye on the $300,000 Group 1 Sires’ Produce at Randwick on April 10, Melissa Leitch, a spokesperson for the Heathcote stables while Robert and his family enjoy a break, offered a different and more travel friendly option.
An assault on the Queensland Winter Racing Carnival could become a reality via the $250,000 QTIS 600 2YO Handicap 1200m held at the Gold Coast on Saturday, March 20, which coincides with the much anticipated QTIS 600 Yearling Sales on March 21 and 22.
“We’ll have a look at the Sires’ Produce for sure,” Leitch said. “But we’ve also got the Winter Carnival up here to consider.
“Rob (Heathcote) will weigh up all our winter options.
“She seems a bit of a stand out when you think about it, and the improvement in her is going to be great. First-up over 1200m on a slightly rain-affected track was a top effort.”
To be in this position Hidden Kisses, a filly by Hidden Dragon, pulled out a sterling effort in a bizarre set of circumstances in the Cleandomain QTIS 600 2YO Handicap 1200m at Eagle Farm on Saturday, February 27.
From the barriers Adebisi, with Shane Scriven onboard, shot well out in front from a wide gate, but then applied the brakes dramatically to conserve energy for the final dash.
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Just A Piccolo heads a full quota of QTIS registered three-year-olds to the line
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Everything seemed in order with the Desleigh Forster-trained $2.40 race favourite looking in control with 100 metres to travel and a breathing space of five lengths.
In an unusual move, Scriven even had time to put the whip in his mouth, steady Adebisi, and then grab the whip with his preferred right hand to encourage his mount home.
Scriven explained to stewards after the race that he carried the whip in his non-preferred left hand for the majority of the journey to refrain himself from using it in the early stages.
The two-year-old had been barred for bucking after his last start and the hoop believed use of the whip could be blamed. The explanation was accepted by stewards.
While Scriven was performing, Brad Stewart had two-year-old filly Hidden Kisses winding up from mid-pack to make a late charge for the minor placings.
In what looked to be an elementary finish, even experienced Brisbane racecaller Wayne Wilson was confident Adebisi had far too much distance between him and his challengers with 50 metres to travel and called the result.
Then the colt managed to dig itself an imaginary hole and seemingly run out of forward momentum with the post almost in reaching distance.
Stewart continued to encourage Hidden Kisses and somehow stole the most unlikely of victories by half a length.
“I was probably like the rest of you,” Stewart said. “I thought the second horse (Adebisi) had kicked inside the furlong. But it seemed to get a bit tired when I was hitting my best.
“From what I can gather, she (Hidden Kisses) was still a little bit green when she had her first start and took a little bit of improvement into today (February 27).”
Leitch provided a commentary on how the race looked from the enclosure. “At the 400m we were hoping she’d get up and run second, and then all of a sudden she put it together,” she said.
“She’s still very green as Brad (Stewart) said, but once she straightened and he gave her a couple of taps she just went zoom.
“Rob’s (Heathcote) always had a huge opinion of the filly, even when she ran third first-up. He wasn’t surprised by the end result at all.”
Hidden Kisses joins the long list of QTIS 600-registered horses to be more than paying their way for connections in the QTIS 600 double-up incentive.
After being purchased for only $25,000 from the 2009 Magic Millions January Yearling Sales, the filly has raced twice to collect $85,000 in earnings from a first and third placing, which includes $48,000 in QTIS 600 and QTIS added stakes.
Adebisi is exclusively QTIS registered and so picked up a handy $6000 race bonus.
Norocos, ridden by Ron Goltz for Norm Hilton, finished in third two and three quarter lengths back.
The two-year-old filly is also solely QTIS registered, but adds $3000 in added stakes to her career prizemoney.
In further QTIS news, the Cleanevent QTIS 3YO Handicap 1500m produced a clean sweep for those chasing added stakes.
Just a Piccolo (Joe Bowditch) snatched victory by a head from Freton (Damian Browne) to collect $53,000 in prizemoney, which includes a $21,000 QTIS bonus.
The Piccolo (GB) three-year-old gelding, trained by Eric Hayes, now boasts $103,000 in career prizemoney, including $41,000 in QTIS and QTIS 600 bonuses, from 11 starts.
Freton collected a $6000 race bonus, with third-placed Dusty’s Felt (Christian Reith) also winning $3000 in added stakes.
QUEENSLAND Racing web news: Ross Dowd – March 1
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