By Adam Hamilton
CHAMPION driver Chris Alford can’t see how Lazarus can win this Miracle Mile.
In fact, Alford, who drives defending champion Lennytheshark, thinks it will be impossible for Lazarus to overcome the outside draw.
“If he goes forward, he’s going to out wide for a long, long way because Soho Tribeca won’t let him around him,” he said. “And if he goes back, he’ll be giving the leaders too big a start.
“They will go a 1min47sec mile and they won’t stop running. You can’t give away a big start and catch the leaders.
“Look at Lenny’s run last week. He blasted off the gate in a 26.2sec quarter to get handy, sat in the one-one and just couldn’t make any ground because the leader still ran home in 54sec flat.”
Alford thinks he is an upset chance on Lennytheshark, if he can get handy enough to the leaders in the run.
“I’m looking to the established Grand Circuit horses, who have drawn well as the key players … Tiger Tara, My Field Marshal, Soho Tribeca and Lenny,” he said.
“I don’t think Anything For Love can sustain what he did last week in quicker time and with more pressure in a better field.
“And Atomic Red’s run last week showed that form through the Chariots Of Fire won’t quite stack-up for Jilliby Kung Fu.”
Although Alford is a “rough chance” in the Miracle Mile, he has plumb drives in the NSW Derby and Oaks.
He opted to stick with Poster Boy ahead of stablemate Maraetai as his Derby drive.
“I don’t think there is much at all between them and I know the stable feels the same way, but I’ve been with Poster Boy all the way through and feel some loyalty … plus, he’s drawn a bit better than Mareatai,” Alford said.
“Poster Boy and Maraetai are both huge chances. Coly Thirty One is fast and has the pole, but I’m not sure he’s got the toughness to win what will be a really strongly run Derby.”
Alford also had to make a big call in the Oaks between stablemates, heat winner Imprincessgemma and the classy Nostra Villa.
“I was always going to stick with Nostra Villa. I think she’s clearly the best filly in the race and she’s so tough the 2400m is ideal,” he said.
“She copped so much pressure in front with every quarter in 28sec last week, but she still would’ve won if I’d gone for home on the last bend instead of being too worried about the horse on my back.
“She was kicking back strongly on the line and would’ve been too strong if I’d gone for home, instead of letting Shez All Rock dash up so quickly to me.”
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