28 June 2018 | Ken Casellas
Banjup trainer Annie Belton should continue her remarkable run of success by scoring with the speedy Dior Mia More in the $25,000 Owners Only Lombardo final over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
She boasts an outstanding strike rate this season, with her 79 starters producing 23 wins, 14 seconds and 12 thirds for stakes of $235,325. Seven of those wins have been in metropolitan-stakes races and the other 16 have been in country-stakes events.
Dior Mia More, a lightly-raced five-year-old by Tintin In America, has won at seven of her past 11 starts and she has drawn the prized No. 1 barrier in Friday night’s event which is restricted to mares. Her 18 starts have produced ten wins and five placings.
Gary Hall Jnr made full use of a favourable barrier (No. 3) and the mare’s gate speed when Dior Mia More burst to an early in a qualifying heat last Friday night. After a fast lead time of 36.1sec. Dior Mia More ambled through the first quarter of the final mile in 32.8sec. before reeling off the next three sections in 31sec., 28.6sec. and 28.1sec. She beat Susie Rocks by just under a length.
Belton and her husband Colin have a splendid second string in Friday night’s final in Gotta Go Gabbana, a four-year-old who has had 32 starts for nine wins, eight seconds and five thirds. Gotta Go Gabbana, to be driven by Chris Voak, is in good form and is a tough mare capable of fighting on strongly after working hard. She will start from barrier four and is well worth serious consideration.
Four-year-old Im Stylish, trained and driven by Justin Prentice, has won at eight of her 22 starts and is capable of a strong showing, despite a back-line draw. She raced wide early and then in the one-out, one-back position when s close-up fourth behind the pacemaker Shes Turbo Charged in a qualifying heat last Friday week.
Millview Sienna, a five-year-old to be driven by Aldo Cortopassi for Mt Helena trainer Ray Williams, has won at ten of her 36 starts and will have admirers, particularly after drawing barrier three on the front line.
Millview Sienna warmed up for this week’s event in fine style with a convincing two-length win over Cup-class mare Tricky Styx in a 2150m trial at Byford on Sunday morning. She dashed over the final quarters in 28.7sec. and 28.6sec. and rated 1.57.7.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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