Images: JMH Photography
Star reinsman Chris Lewis has high hopes of making the most of a chance drive behind Chevrons Champion by guiding the New Zealand-bred filly to an all-the-way victory in the Cowden Ltd Dainty’s Daughter Classic at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Baldivis trainer Nathan Turvey engaged Lewis after opting to drive talented stablemate Bettor Boa in the $50,000 group 2 2130m classic for three-year-old fillies.
Bettor Boa, who has had seven starts for Turvey for four wins, two seconds and a fourth, is favourably drawn at barrier two on the back line.
However, Chevrons Champion, whose seven starts for Turvey have produced four wins and three placings, looks to have brighter prospects from the coveted No. 1 barrier on the front line.
Lewis, who will be driving Chevrons Champion for the first time at the filly’s 17th start, is hoping that history repeats itself. He made the most of the opportunity to drive the Mike Reed-trained Sheer Royalty for the first time at her 15th start when that filly was beaten out from barrier one and raced three back on the pegs before charging to the front 75m from the post and winning by three lengths from Supreme Royalty in the Dainty’s Daughter Classic in March 2009.
Lewis also won the classic with Five Hundred More in 2005. He finished second with La Roya Whitby in 2006 and third with Priscilla Rocks in 2008 and has driven the second placegetter in the past two years --- with The Parade (at his first drive behind her at her 13th start) in 2014 and Quite A Delight (at his second drive at her fifth start) last year.
Chevrons Champion possesses excellent gate speed and she relished her role of pacemaker when she scored easy victories at Bunbury and Gloucester Park in November. Sher ran a splendid trial for this week’s race when she started from the outside of the back line and was ninth at the bell before finishing powerfully to be third behind Mary Catherine over 2100m at Bunbury last Saturday night when the pacemaking Mary Catherine dashed over the final 800m in 56.5sec.
She fought on solidly when a first-up third behind Mary Catherine over 2130m at Gloucester Park 15 nights earlier.
Mary Catherine, trained and driven by Kristian Hawkins, Is in brilliant form, scoring effortless all-the-way wins at Gloucester Park and Bunbury at her past two outings. She is a stylish frontrunner, but faces a stern test from the outside of the back line on Friday night.
Baby She Rocks and Dodolicious loom large as major contenders. Kaiden Hayter produced Baby She Rocks in splendid condition for her impressive first-up win over Kurious in the $25,000 Sales Classic for three-year-old fillies last Friday night. She started from the outside barrier in the field of eight and was sixth at the bell before she burst to the front on the home turn.
She has led and won twice in her seven-start career and Hayter will be keen to make every post a winner from her favourable No. 2 barrier on the front line.
Dodolicious, prepared by leading trainers Greg and Skye Bond, is sure to prove very hard to beat, even from the No. 5 barrier. She has made a tremendous start to her career, with her 13 starts producing eight wins and five seconds for $154,853 in prizemoney. She is speedy and versatile and reinsman Ryan Warwick has formed a wonderful association with her. She has led and won at each of her past three starts. But she is also capable of unwinding a powerful finishing burst.
Jasmin Amal and Im Zuleika are racing keenly, but will need all the breaks to cause an upset from awkward barriers.
