Top Ranked Filly Hits Queensland
The stage is set here in
1. GOAT FARMER – v8mullet – A truly versatile filly looking to make an impression on the #1 ranked female turf router in the game. Tremendous success of late at these race conditions sets her up well for this one, but the slight baulk at her last and only G1 start thus far does warrant a bit of a second look. Despite this I don’t believe it will make much of a difference but might just shift preference to her single rival here. Place should be a certainty however.
2. ICHI RASHI – dagrims2 – Unbelievably sound consistency over a period brings this girl into her first graded challenge since her two year old season. Could probably do with a couple more furlongs to really be in her comfort zone, much should still fare well nonetheless. Will need to up the ante in the speed department to challenge the front two, but there’s plenty of ticker there to take care of any tiring runners heading to the post.
3. DERAZO – lrisquez – Unfortunately it would seem this girl has bitten off a little more than she can chew once lined up at the gate. A very promising stakes run for the first of the year, hasn’t really been backed up by anything close since. Never say never of course, but I think she’ll have a bit of a tough time here.
4. MILLIE’S DESERT – pearljam – As with the #3, unfortunately a little out-classed by the favourites this time round. Despite many stakes runs, many of which very promising, victory at the elite level still eludes this girl, suggesting perhaps she may be more comfortable stepping back, and rattling up allowance fields again.
5. CATONAHOTTINROOF – jlm – Sired by the great Storm Cat, this girl comes of a five race winning streak at allowance level to have a dash in graded company here. Clearly she has the winning bug, and despite overall speeds being down on face value, as compared to our top two runners, the question must be asked, was she only doing what was necessary to win, and is there still more mumbo there. It would be an un-wise person that didn’t seriously consider this as being possible, and in my case I think it to be a certainty. Two favourites look solid, but they surely must be nervous about this girl.
6. COPPELIA – twoofus2 – Oldest girl in the field and this year just perhaps starting to show her fastest days are over. She still however plainly has the ability to grind a race out, and when things start getting tough, just keep on motoring. This should be her greatest asset in this one, swiftly taking care of any runner showing signs of fatigue.
7. KRISHNA (IRE) – paceman2 – As the #1 ranked runner in this class, it’s fairly clear the thoroughbred is going to ooze class, and that’s just what this girl is, unadulterated pure class. Put simply only one race run through her career was not stakes and that was a MSW she easily won on her debut. Since then stakes results have flowed at a brilliantly successful rate, only really disappointing on maybe three occasions. It’s fairly easy to see in this race she’s the class, but there are two rivals here with genuine potential to take it to her.
KRISHNA (IRE) should win this one, but it’s going to be very close with a solid contender in GOAT FARMER looking to position herself much better in the rankings, and an upstart in CATONAHOTTINROOF looking to scale the dizzy heights and leave a solid impression.