Luke McCarthy (pictured driving Bling It On) will be aboard Three Squared in Saturday night's APG Fillies Final.
Team McCarthy’s Australian Pacing Gold Fillies Final contender Three Squared needs to improve on her semi-final to win on Saturday night. But word out of the camp is she can.
“I’ve got a pretty high opinion of her,” said Luke McCarthy, who will steer the daughter of Mach Three/Three Eagles on Saturday night at Tabcorp Park Melton.
“She just hasn’t quite been as sharp since Bathurst. But her work during the week has been really good and she should improve a lot.”
McCarthy is pointing to Three Squared’s recent Bathurst carnival where she ran fourth in the Gold Tiara Final after being the fastest of the heat winners.
In the heat she dashed home by almost 12 metres in a rate of 1:56.5. Nine days later she was 4.8m behind winner Pixies Parlour in the final after working hard early before getting one-one cover and still finishing off quite well.
Since the Gold Tiara Three Squared has had two starts for a second at Menangle behind Lettuce Go Pippa when she led from gate seven over the mile and was beaten 1.2m in 1:58.3, and a last-start fifth of 10 in the APG semi last weekend at Melton when she sat parked.
McCarthy acknowledged that he and wife Belinda, who trains the horse, had “backed off her” after Bathurst to have her fresh and ready for the APG series.
From barrier three McCarthy said he would be looking to go forward with Three Squared but predicted polemarker Hazels Girl would probably lead.
“I think Hazels Girl will probably begin quicker this week given she’s had that run at Melton,” he said. “But I’ll be looking to go forward and race handy.”
Meanwhile, Hazels Girl has been backed in the TAB fixed odds markets from $4.60 into $4.
The Daniel Neagoe-trained daughter of Art Major/Miss Hazel looks the likely leader with David Morris to drive.
The $3.50 favourite, Zaras Delight, is rock solid at her price from gate five and she is considered the filly most likely to challenge Zaras Delight for the early ascendency.
Equal third picks are Jilliby Jitterbug from gate eight and Mark Purdon-trained My Mackenzie from gate four, both at $5.
Jilliby Jitterbug won her heat from the trail, using the sprint lane to upstage Zaras Delight late. She’s drawn for a similar run here.
Stablemate of Hazels Girl, Hot Shot Woman is right in the market at $7, backed in from $7.50. She caught the eye late in the semi-final but can race forward if needed, as she did behind Three Squared from a wide draw at Menangle recently.
Trainer Gary Quinlan has a solid recent record in the APG final, winning two of the previous three renewals – Musical Delight victorious in 2012 and Queen Of Pop last year. This year he has Magical Delight from barrier nine for Chris Alford, the filly $7.50 with the TAB.
