Star pacer Dodolicious finished third in a trial at Byford on Sunday morning, but co-trainer Greg Bond is bubbling with confidence about the four-year-old’s prospects in her first-up assignment in the $18,500 TABtouch Interdominion Barrier Draw December 4 Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
“She’s ready to go and it’s a nice drawing barrier two,” Bond said. “It looks a good race for her to start this campaign. She’s ready to win first-up. We’ve been taking our time with her; she has been in work for a fair time and we’re very happy with her work.”
Dodolicious, winner of the WA Oaks last season and amassing $405,613 in prizemoney from 13 wins and seven seconds from just 22 starts, finished third, two and a half length behind the winner New World Order in a 2185m trial at Byford on Sunday morning.
But Bond warned punters to take little notice of her defeat, saying: “It was just a quiet trial for her. We have changed some gear on her, including removing the lugging pole,” he said. “So we took her to the trials just to get accustomed to the change of gear and to make sure that we were happy with it all.
“She went back to last and hit the line full of running. Her final half was pretty slick and she did it well within herself.”
Bond explained that Dodolicious was not asked for a strong effort in the trial because she had worked impressively on the stable’s private track on Friday morning.
“It was a pretty good hit-out on Friday morning when we asked her to knuckle down to it — and she beat one of our open-class horses,” he said.
Dodolicious, who will be having her first start since the second week of July, will be set for the $125,000 Mares Classic at Gloucester Park on December 9 if her form warrants a start.
“She has just turned four and we’re going to let her tell us if she’s ready for these big races,” Bond said. “We’re hoping that her form in the next three to four weeks dictates that she is worthy of going into a race like that. It’s her in our own back yard and we won’t be afraid to have a crack.”
Dodolicious, the least experienced runner in Friday night’s race, will be driven by Ryan Warwick, who has shot to an early lead on the Statewide drivers’ premiership table. Warwick has driven 37 winners and leads from Gary Hall jun. (27) and Chris Lewis (23).
Dodolicious, a smart frontrunner, might have to be content racing in the breeze because the Mike Reed-trained Foxy Dame has drawn the prized No. 1 barrier and is an excellent frontrunner.
Mary Catherine will start from barrier three and should also be prominent. She has finished second to Royal Myth and Hidden Bad at her past two outings and is sure to break through for another win in the near future.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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