Aussie Made Lombo is one of two runners Jayne Davies will prepare for Vicbred success at Melton this weekend
The big punters will likely have their hard-earned on Bellas Delight in Friday night’s Empire Stallions Vicbred Super Series 4YO Mares Final at Melton’s Tabcorp Park.
But top trainer Jayne Davies will be out to bring the in-form daughter of Bettors Delight’s winning streak to a halt.
While Bellas Delight has won four races straight in commanding fashion, Davies has two runners drawn to be in the thick of the action in the $100,000 Group 1 event, with former superstar juvenile Aussie Made Lombo starting barrier two and ever-improving daughter of Modern Art Passions Pride drawn alongside in barrier three.
Aussie Made Lombo has been hot favourite with the punters at all of her three runs back from a long spell, but she has been beaten each time, finishing second in races at Cranbourne and Maryborough and fifth last time out at Melton.
“She had a very tough campaign as a two-year-old. No horse covered more ground than her,’’ Davies said.
“So we gave her a long spell and it’s just taken her a bit longer to come right this time in.”
Aussie Made Lombo hasn’t won since May last year, but fourth-up from a spell, and with a nice barrier draw and Chris Alford in the spider, she’s an each-way chance on Friday.
Davies said stablemate Passions Pride was equally as good a chance as Aussie Made Lombo, however, it just depended on which runner had the better run in the middle stages of the race.
“They’re very similar. Passions Pride is a very good sit sprinter, but I also think Aussie Made Lombo is a very good sit sprinter.’’
Davies admits Bellas Delight is the horse to beat on Friday night, but said a lot would depend on the tactics employed by Damian Wilson on Lively Moth (drawn seven).
“If Lively Moth goes forward and finds the chair, it’ll be interesting to see if it hands up to Bellas Delight when it comes around,” Davies said.
Both Aussie Made Lombo and Passions Pride are tipped to go forward for Alford and Gavin Lang respectively.
Meanwhile, Shakchloe looks capable of being a blowout chance from the pole if the favourites do cut at each other midrace.
The Steve O’Donoghue-trained daughter of Bettors Delight, to be driven by Rebecca Bartley, produced a huge run last week to be third behind Lively Moth.
She did some work on that occasion, and with a soft run on the pegs she can get the sprint lane in the straight and steam home.
South Australian raider Repelem will also be an interesting runner. A prolific winner back home, the question will be whether that form can translate to success in Victoria. The back-row draw, however, makes it hard.
