Tony Noonan credited the use of ear muffs on Ma Shang for his improvement to win second-up in the Betfair Handicap at Sandown on Wednesday.The rising five-year-old, by 1999 VRC Queen Elizabeth Stakes and Werribee Cup winner Zerpour, hadn't won since scoring two straight metropolitan wins at Sandown and Flemington in June last year."I think I was the first person to use them a few years ago, but they went back into the cupboard and haven't been out since," Noonan said.Noonan first used ear muffs
Tony Noonan credited the use of ear muffs on Ma Shang for his improvement to win second-up in the Betfair Handicap at Sandown on Wednesday.
The rising five-year-old, by 1999 VRC Queen Elizabeth Stakes and Werribee Cup winner Zerpour, hadn't won since scoring two straight metropolitan wins at Sandown and Flemington in June last year.
"I think I was the first person to use them a few years ago, but they went back into the cupboard and haven't been out since," Noonan said.
Noonan first used ear muffs on Our Bullbaa who was runner-up to Moonah Brooke in the 2002 Group Three Tasmanian Derby (2400m) and then won over 1600m at Sandown before finishing 10th to Honor Lap in the Group One Western Australian Derby (2400m).
The Japanese also use ear muffs as shown by Eye Popper who wore them when runner-up to Railings in the 2005 Caulfield Cup.
"I got the idea from Michelle Lang and Peter McMahon who are both very good equestrian riders in Queensland and they use them on their horses in shows and this horse was forever getting wound up," Noonan said.
"We were using them on this horse in his work to settle him down and he overraced when resuming so we decided to bring them out of the cupboard and use them on race day."
Ma Shang ($4.60) settled last in the 10-horse field but Craig Williams stuck to the inside on the heavy nine Lakeside circuit after other riders scouted wide.
He got the gelding up in the 1200m event to score by a half-neck from race leader El Martini with Straws Lane a long neck away third.
Noonan said he would now aim Ma Shang for the Listed 1600m final of the Winter Championship series at Flemington on July 4 for which he will have to contest a heat or two to earn some points to get him into the race.
Williams completed a winning double aboard Ma Shang following his victory on the Luke Oliver-trained Smokey Scene ($9) in the Longfella Hcp (1600m).
He has ridden 61 metropolitan winners in Victoria so far this season and now trails premiership leader Damien Oliver, who is currently suspended, by two wins.
Williams is trying to take the title for the fourth straight year while Oliver is after his eighth with his latest in 2004.
Jockey-trainer combination Luke Nolen and Peter Moody had a bad start to the day when first starter Bluetooie was scratched at the barrier before the Begonia Belle Hcp (1200m).
However they made up for it with a winning treble with Fasliyev filly Bremmoly ($11) in the Goleen Hcp (1600m), Viscount mare Fairygem ($4.40 fav), who took out the Hayai Hcp (2100m) by 5-1/2 lengths, and imported five-year-old mare Ghostmilk ($7.50) in the Le Pine Funerals Cup (1600m).