KEY POINTS:
MELBOURNE - Seachange lost no admirers with her second placing in the group one Myer Classic at Flemington on Saturday, but her jockey Gavin McKeon wasn't too popular with trainer Ralph Manning.
Seachange, the performer of the spring in New Zealand with her wins in the Mudgway and Stoney Bridge Stakes, led until the late stages of the A$500,000 ($581,000) race for fillies and mares, but Lyrical Bid sneaked through on her inside to win.
Manning wasn't happy with Seachange leading in the first place as the plan was to trail.
He also faulted McKeon for kicking clear from the field too early down the long Flemington straight.
"I wasn't overly excited by the ride," the Cambridge trainer said yesterday. "He went too early on her in the straight. There is no point at Flemington going that early when you're travelling well on the corner. He could have sat until halfway down the straight."
Manning clearly didn't want Seachange to do that much work as it was the mare's first run since her third to Legs in the Kelt Capital Stakes (2040m) at Hastings a month ago.
But he added he did not expect McKeon to lose the ride on Seachange in the group one Emirates Stakes at Flemington on Saturday.
"It's the owners' call. I don't call the shots but I think they will stick with him and hopefully he will learn from his mistakes."
McKeon's task wasn't made any easier by 100-1 Honest Politician racing outside his mount during the running but the jockey said that wasn't the main reason Seachange lost.
He said she over-raced early and it took him a while to bring her under control.
"She just tired in that last 50m and that's where the other one got me," McKeon said.
"I nursed her and nursed her, but the other one had the soft run and that's what's made the difference. She [Seachange] just shifted out under pressure."
Manning said Seachange had recovered well from the run and should be ready again for a big run on Saturday.
"She licked her bowl spotless last night and was bright as a button this morning," he said.
The other courageous performance by a New Zealand runner was J'Adane in the group two Wakeful Stakes for three-year-old fillies.
She was only beaten by a brilliant finish by the much-vaunted filly Tuesday Joy and pleased Pukekohe trainer Russell Cameron with her run.
"If she pulls up well, she will run in the Oaks on Thursday," Cameron said.
Jockey Blake Shinn was impressed with the way J'Adane maintained a sprint for 350m without giving up.
"She's quite a tough filly," Shinn said.
J'Adane's main obstacles in the Oaks look to again be Tuesday Joy and the David Hayes-trained Miss Finland.
In the Salinger Stakes on Saturday, Gee I Jane had no luck because of her inside draw.
She finished 12th, with the horses drawn on the grandstand side having the best going on the very outside of the track.
"It was a crying shame, because she was ready to go," rued jockey Michael Rodd of Gee I Jane.
Trainer Neville Couchman said if Gee I Jane received an invitation to run in the Hong Kong Sprint next month, he would probably accept it.
The New Zealand runners in the Mackinnon Stakes were well beaten.
Trainer Kevin Gray said Legs didn't disgrace herself with sixth placing.
"She tried her heart out, but it was too big a step up for her today."
Legs will return home for a spell.
King Of Ashford got too far back in the running, finishing ninth in the Mackinnon.
Trainer Karen Zimmerman said King Of Ashford would either run in the Sandown Classic in two weeks or look at some of the Victorian country cups.
Sphenophyta was a disappointing 13th in the Mackinnon and looked a bit flat after a tough few weeks.
- NZPA
