Sport
8 October, 2020
Group one test awaits trotter
EMERGING trotting star Pink Galahs will grace the biggest stage in harness racing on Saturday night when she lines up in the group one Bill Collins Sprint at Melton.
EMERGING trotting star Pink Galahs will grace the biggest stage in harness racing on Saturday night when she lines up in the group one Bill Collins Sprint at Melton.
The Matthew Craven-trained three year-old will contest the $50,000 event ahead of next Saturday’s $50,000 Victoria Trotters Oaks (group one).
Craven said connections weighed up racing in the Bill Collins Sprint and the group two Holmfield for three year-olds on the same card, but opted to have a crack at the group one event.
“We decided to have a throw at the stumps in the Bill Collins rather than in her own age group in the Holmfield,” he said.
“We just felt that that we may as well go around for $50,000 rather than $30,000 because both are strong races.
“Her form suggests she should be competitive, we definitely don’t expect her to be winning but we feel she deserves her chance on her recent form.
“She’s just showed she’s stepped up a little bit on her past two runs so she deserves her crack.”
Craven said the Bill Collins had attracted a quality field, with each entrant set to stake its claim for victory according to the trainer.
He said Dance Craze and Red Hot Tooth loomed large again despite his filly defeating them in its last outing, while proven stars Tornado Valley, McLovin and Wobelee will also be hard to beat.
“Dance Craze who won well last week after running second to Pink Galahs showed it had improved third up and we’re expecting her to improve again coming into this week,” Craven said.
“She’s a proven group one horse and having barrier two coming into one definitely makes her the one everyone has got to beat and Red Hot Tooth will have a chance.
“Then you’ve got the testing material in the free-for-alls in Tornado Valley, who in the last couple of years has taken all before him basically, McLovin and Wobelee but the positive is they have all drawn back.
“If Dance Craze happens to lead Wobelee will really come into the race and could be the one to beat. We’re just hoping we find a good position after the start to put ourselves close enough over the 1700 which will give us our chance.”
Nonetheless, he said the stable was “super proud of Pink Galahs” for giving them the opportunity to race at group one level and was hopeful the event finetunes her for the Oaks.
If Pink Galahs makes the Oaks field, she could be joined by stablemate Aldebaran Tess, who is also bound for Melton this weekend.
Aldebaran Tess will contest the $30,000 Holmfield for three year-olds after finishing eighth in the Alderbaran Park Starlet on Sunday.
Craven is confident the daughter of Muscle Hill has the ability to run strongly in the event but needed to prove she could handle the pressure of group racing.
“She just overraced in her last run at Cranbourne and got to keen and found herself unbalanced from the 600 to home and eventually galloped,” he said.
“It was disappointing but not the end of the world but we’ll try get her running well this week and doing everything right for the Oaks.
“She’s drawn the back line so she’ll follow a helmet but if she steps well and trots well she’ll be in the race.
“We’ve got a lot of time for her for her and if they run an even tempo it should suit her.”
Another stablemate, Queen of Crime could give Craven a third Oaks starter after the horse placed third in the starlet ahead of Aldebaran Tess.
“She ran third in the traditional lead-up race to the Oaks and showed she was up to it and beat some of the leading chances home,”he said.
Stable veteran Gus An Maori is also set to race at Melton and will contest a $20,000 trot.
He will be partnered by regular driver Sofia Arvidsson, who will mark her metro racing debut with three drives.
Meanwhile, Marg Lee will also head to Melton with Code Bailey to contest the $300,000 group one Victoria Cup.
Code Bailey was entered to resume last week in the group two Smoken Up Sprint but was scratched and will resume from a spell in the event.
The five year-old will be driven by Jason Lee from barrier two.
Paddy Lee is bound for group one events later this month after his two year-olds Keayang Xena and Keayang Ninja qualified for the finals of the two year-old VicBred Home Grown Classics.
Xena won heat three for the trotting fillies at Maryborough on Monday, while Ninja won the second heat for trotting colts and geldings at the same meeting.